Court rejects actor Darshan's plea for access to home food in prison
Bengaluru, Jul 25: A Court here on Thursday rejected a petition filed by Kannada actor Darshan Thoogudeepa, who is in judicial custody in connection with the Renukaswamy murder case, seeking a direction to the prison authorities to permit him to have access to home food in the jail.
He had also sought cutlery, clothing, bedding, and books to be supplied by his family members.
The Karnataka High Court had earlier this month directed Darshan to approach the Magistrate court in this regard.
In his petition, Darshan had also said that he had lost several kilograms of weight as he was unable to eat and digest the food provided at the prison. It was also mentioned that the actor suffered from diarrhoea and the prison doctors diagnosed it to be a case of food poisoning.
According to the petitioner, Section 30 of the Karnataka Prisons Act, 1963, allows undertrial prisoners to receive these materials subject to examination and to such rules as may be approved by IGP (Prisons).
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Rejecting Darshan's petition, the court, citing jail regulations, noted that facilities as sought by the actor cannot be extended to a murder-accused.
According to police sources, 33-year-old Renukaswamy, a fan of the actor, had sent obscene messages to Darshan’s close friend Pavithra Gowda, a co-accused in the case, which enraged the actor, allegedly leading to his murder. His body was found near a storm-water drain next to an apartment in Sumanahalli here on June 9.
Raghavendra, one of the accused who is part of Darshan's fan club in Chitradurga, had brought Renukaswamy to a shed in R R Nagar here, on the pretext that the actor wanted to meet him. It was in this shed that he was allegedly tortured and murdered on June 8.
According to the post-mortem report, Renukaswamy, a native of Chitradurga, died due to shock and haemorrhage as a result of multiple blunt injuries.
Police sources said Pavithra, who is accused number one, was the "major cause" for Renukaswamy’s murder, claiming that it has been proved from the probe that she instigated other accused, conspired with them, and took part in the crime.
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Shivakumar opposes ‘One Nation One Election’, calls it ‘unworkable’
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Saturday strongly opposed the central government’s proposed ‘One Nation One Election’ initiative.
Shivakumar expressed his views at a dialogue on ‘One Nation One Election’ organised by the Joint Parliamentary Study Committee.
He said the plan is a politically motivated, power-centralising scheme that would seriously damage India’s federal structure by weakening states and poses a threat to the democratic system, according to a statement from his office.
As KPCC president and deputy CM of Karnataka, he categorically rejected the proposal, stating that it is being crafted to suit the convenience of those in power at the Centre.
Shivakumar said that the Karnataka Legislative Assembly had already passed a resolution opposing ‘One Nation One Election’ and read out the resolution at the meeting.
He firmly stated that it is “not a workable plan” and added that it is “practically impossible.”
“If a government falls midterm due to political instability, a no-confidence motion, or loss of majority, what is the solution?” he asked.
“Elections are held at different times in different states for different terms. Karnataka had its election in 2023, while Tamil Nadu and Kerala had theirs in 2021, and Punjab and Telangana in 2022 and 2023, respectively. How can these elections with varying schedules be synchronised?” he asked.
He added that the proposal is a ploy to suppress the voices of regional and Opposition parties.
He also said the Karnataka government does not agree with the proposal and remains committed to the position of the Congress party’s national leadership.
