Dy CM Shivakumar responsible for special treatment to Darshan in jail, says K'taka LoP

Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the Karnataka Assembly R. Ashoka BJP on Monday accused Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar of giving special privileges to actor Darshan in the jail.

"Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar is responsible for the luxury treatment being given to Darshan inside the prison. Shivakumar had met the actor inside the prison and had assured him of all the help," said the senior BJP leader while speaking to the media here.

He also demanded answers from the Congress government over the reports of special treatment given to Darshan in jail, who is an accused in a kidnap and murder case. "How did the mobile get inside the jail? Inmates are provided with cigarettes, coffee and narcotic substances without any fear," Ashoka said.

"The law and order system has collapsed already in the state. The cases of rape and murder are on the rise. The Ministers and MLAs are worried about the survival of the government. The Congress government should give a proper answer to the incident which has taken place inside the prison. It is of no use if they claim that an investigation will be conducted into the matter," the BJP leader stated.

He said, "A raid was conducted on the Central Prison four days ago. The authorities seized mobile phones and banned substances from the prison inmates. How did the mobile phone make its way into the prison four days later to click the photo of Darshan sipping coffee and smoking a cigarette."

Commenting on the development, Union Minister for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Pralhad Joshi said on Monday that it was a ploy to destroy evidence and threaten witnesses. "The Congress government has failed in handling the Darshan case. Darshan sitting with a rowdy sweater is a strategy to destroy evidence and threaten witnesses by creating fear. There is no seriousness in the Congress government in the Darshan case. Taking into account what has happened, it seems that the Congress government is protecting him. It appears that the Congress government is hatching a conspiracy in the case of Darshan," Joshi said.

"I will write a letter to Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in connection with the Darshan case. Now, you have suspended the police officers. What were you doing all these days? There is involvement of few politicians in the case," Joshi stated.

Meanwhile, Home Minister G. Parameshwara reached the Bengaluru Central Jail to conduct an inspection.

Facing flak over the video showing preferential treatment to actor Darshan in prison, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Monday directed authorities to transfer the accused actor and his associates to different jails.

Darshan is lodged in Bengaluru Central Prison with 13 accused persons in the case of kidnapping and murder. The 13 include his partner, the main accused Pavithra Gowda. Another four accused are lodged in Tumakuru district prison.

CM Siddaramaiah has also given directions to shift Darshan and his associates to different jails across the state. The CM has also directed the Karnataka DGP to visit the prison and submit a detailed report.

Meanwhile, the Karnataka prisons department has suspended seven staffers, including two jailers for allowing Kannada actor Darshan to smoke a cigarette and drink coffee inside the prison.

The gruesome murder of Renukaswamy took place on June 8 in Bengaluru. He was kidnapped from his hometown, Chitradurga, brought to Bengaluru, kept in a shed, and tortured to death.

After the murder, his body was thrown into a canal. The incident came to light after the security personnel of a private apartment building saw the body being dragged by a pack of dogs.

(With inputs from IANS)