Karnataka HC grants Darshan liberty to move magistrate court seeking home-cooked food, bedding

Bengaluru: The Karnataka High Court on Friday granted liberty to actor Darshan Toogudeepa Srinivas, an accused in the Renukaswamy murder case, to approach the magistrate court with an application seeking home-cooked food and bedding, among others.

The actor had moved the court for several facilities at the Parappana Agrahara central prison in Bengaluru.

Justice SR Krishna Kumar gave liberty to move the application on Saturday and also directed the magistrate concerned to decide on the application before July 26, 2024, after considering the objections/arguments of the prosecution. Till such time, the petition filed by the actor will be kept pending, the court said, adjourning the matter
to July 29.

The actor has been in judicial custody since June 22, 2024 and had sought access to home-cooked food, clothes and books. Darshan claimed that he could not digest the food provided at the prison and had lost weight after suffering from diarrhoea and other ailments.

On the other hand, the police contended before the high court that as per Section 30 of the Karnataka Prisons Act, 1963, an undertrial prisoner has to approach the Inspector General of the prison concerned.

On Friday, Justice Krishna Kumar indicated that since the question of the right of undertrial prisoners for access to home/outside food is raised in the petition, the same requires a detailed hearing as any finding on the same will have wider repercussions.