Five months after a viral photo exposed inmates receiving “special treatment” in Bengaluru Central Prison, investigations into two of three related FIRs have made no progress, raising concerns over the slow pace of action. Sources have revealed that while preliminary information has been gathered, prison officials have yet to be questioned due to delays in obtaining necessary sanctions for interrogation.
According to a senior police official overseeing the investigation, the police require approval from the Director General of Police (DGP) for Prisons and Correctional Services, Malini Krishnamoorthy, before questioning prison staff. Despite multiple requests, only one out of three requests for inquiry sanctions has been approved. This delay has hindered progress in addressing the irregularities that surfaced after a viral photo from Parappana Agrahara Central Prison, showing Kannada actor Darshan Thoogudeepa socializing with notorious criminals, was widely shared in August.
Following the viral image, three FIRs were filed. They included investigations into Darshan’s video call with a man named Satya, his interaction with rowdy sheeters, and prison officers moving suspicious boxes before a raid by the Central Crime Branch (CCB). As a result, nine prison officials were suspended, and several rowdy sheeters were transferred. Despite the uproar, the smuggling of mobile phones and contraband into the prison has continued, with multiple raids and seizures.
The investigation has stalled further, with prison officials and visiting doctors yet to be questioned. These delays are hampering efforts to identify illegal channels facilitating contraband flow into the prison.
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