A Bengaluru magistrate court has denied Kannada actor Darshan’s request for home-cooked meals while he remains incarcerated. Darshan, who is facing murder charges, had previously claimed that jail food was causing him to lose weight and suffer from health issues. Reports indicate he experienced diarrhea, which doctors have attributed to food poisoning.
Under Section 30 of the Karnataka Prisons Act, 1963, undertrial prisoners may receive personal items subject to inspection and approval by the Inspector General of Prisons. Despite this, the Karnataka High Court advised Darshan’s lawyer to bring the request before the magistrate court. Darshan had sought items such as cutlery, clothing, bedding, books, and home-prepared food. The court, however, ruled that such provisions cannot be granted to an individual accused of murder.
Darshan was arrested on June 11, alongside his associate Pavitra Gowda, in connection with the murder of his fan, Renukaswamy. The victim was reportedly killed on June 9 in a shed used for storing seized vehicles in south-western Bengaluru, and his body was later found in a stormwater drain approximately 10 kilometers away. According to the police, the crime was motivated by online harassment of Gowda by Renukaswamy, which allegedly provoked both Gowda and Darshan.
The investigation also uncovered several torture implements, including wooden logs, a leather belt, and a rope.