A day after photos of jailed Kannada film actor Darshan Thoogudeepa getting VIP treatment inside the Parappana Agrahara Central Prison in Bengaluru went viral, Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara on Monday said that seven jail staff have been suspended.
G Parameshwara said that he had discussed the subject with the Director General of Police (Prisons) and that he was aware of the incident. According to Parameshwara, an internal investigation is under progress and steps were taken as soon as the issue was discovered. The minister further added that there is a lapse in official duty as the prisoners are monitored 24/7. Thus, it demonstrates that the prison manual has been violated, Indian Express reported.
Authorities suspended include Sharanabasava Amingadh, Prabhu Kandelwal, L S Tippeswami, Shrikant Talwar, Venkappa Kodti, Sampat Kumar and Basappa based on the findings of the initial probe.
The officials from the Central Crime Branch (CCB) raided the prison on Saturday, but they were unable to find anything.
In the viral photo, gangster J Nagaraj, aka Wilson Garden Naga, is seen smoking a cigarette with Darshan Thoogudeepa, who is in jail in connection with the murder of Renukaswamy, a resident of Chitradurga, Wilson Garden Naga, while they are sitting on the prison’s lawn. The photo shows Wilson Garden Naga holding a cup while Darshan Thoogudeepa is seen making a video call. However, the video and photo could not be verified yet.
According to a prison official, cigarettes and marijuana are typically sold inside the premises; however, the actor’s coffee mug and the chairs in the picture are not provided by the jail. The officer further said that Darshan’s use of a cell phone to take pictures and record a video conversation was a clear violation of the rules and shows that there is special treatment, IE reported.