Kannada actor Darshan Thoogudeepa, who is facing murder charges, was transferred from Bengaluru’s Parappana Agrahara Prison to Ballari Prison on Thursday morning following allegations of receiving VIP treatment while in custody. The actor is accused in the murder case of a 33-year-old auto driver, Renukaswamy.
The controversy began earlier this week when a photograph surfaced showing Darshan in a relaxed setting on the prison lawns, accompanied by three others, including a rowdy sheeter. In the photo, Darshan is seen sitting on a chair with a cigarette and a coffee mug. Adding fuel to the fire, a video reportedly showing Darshan making a video call from prison also circulated on social media. These revelations prompted widespread criticism and led Karnataka Police to form three teams to investigate the allegations of preferential treatment.
On Tuesday, a Bengaluru court granted permission to transfer Darshan and his co-accused to different prisons to address the concerns over their treatment. While Darshan was moved to Ballari Prison, other accused individuals have been assigned to various facilities: Pawan, Raghavendra, and Nandish were sent to Mysuru Jail; Jagadish and Lakshmana to Shivamogga Jail; Dhanraj to Dharwad Jail; Vinay to Vijayapura Jail; Nagaraj to Kalaburagi/Gulbarga Jail; and Pradosh to Belagavi Jail. Previously, four other accused—Ravi, Karthik, Nikhil, and Keshavamurthy—had been relocated to Tumakuru Prison. Three of the 17 accused—Pavithra Gowda, Anukumar, and Deepak—will remain at Parappana Agrahara Central Jail.
The case centers around the murder of Renukaswamy, who was allegedly kidnapped, assaulted, and killed on June 9. The crime is said to have been orchestrated by Darshan after Renukaswamy allegedly sent offensive messages on social media to actress Pavithra Gowda, rumored to be Darshan’s partner. The investigation revealed that Darshan was directly involved in the assault on Renukaswamy.
As of Wednesday, the judicial custody of Darshan, Gowda, and the other accused has been extended until September 9, as the legal proceedings continue.
