Film director and journalist Indrajith Lankesh, on Thursday, has alleged that Sandalwood actor Darshan Thoogudeepa and his friends have assaulted a Dalit waiter in a Mysuru hotel recently and that the Mysuru city police had gone for "settlement" between the two parties instead of filing a criminal case.
Indrajith Lankesh who met Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai reportedly urged the minister to give directions to the Mysuru police to investigate into the case.
"The police stations in Mysuru have turned into settlement centres and the common man is getting no justice. Darshan has assaulted a Dalit waiter at Hotel Sandesh, The Prince in Mysuru during a late night party and the waiter has sustained injuries to his eye which has led to blurring. The following day, the injured supplier's wife arrived at the hotel with a broom demanding action against those who assaulted her husband. But the police struck a compromise between the two parties," claimed Indrajith, addressing press reporters after his meeting with the home minister.
Indrajith also expressed concern that the recent fake loan case, involving Darshan's friends and a woman named Aruna Kumari, was also headed for a "settlement".
On July 3, a case was booked at Hebbal police station in Mysuru against Harsha Melanta, Darshan's friend and hotelier, and three others including Bengaluru-based women Aruna Kumari, for attempting to fraudulently secure a loan of Rs 25 crore by forging the property documents of Darshan's farm house in Mysuru.
"I am speaking out as I cannot be a mute spectator to what celebrities are doing. The common man is suffering in all this. I have enough evidence to prove Darshan and his friends Rakesh Papanna, son of Siddaramaiah's close aide and Melanta assaulted the supplier. I am shocked to see the violent language being used by the actor during the press meets," said Indrajith, adding the CCTV footages from the hotel too had been deleted.
Meanwhile, the owner of the star hotel, where the alleged assault has taken place, dismissed Indrajith's claims saying no one was assaulted. Sandesh, son of Sandesh Nagaraj, the managing director of the hotel said, "It is true Darshan was hosting a poolside party before the lockdown at our hotel. He did not assault our waiter but shouted at him for the delay in service. I pacified both parties, asked Darshan to retire to his room as he was high. I apologised to the waiter for Darshan's behaviour. Such incidents are common in hospitality business and we did not file any complaint."
Responding to a question by the reporters, Sandesh stated that the waiter was no longer with them as he was an intern from Maharashtra and had returned to his state earlier this month.
"Usually, we get interns from Bihar, Maharashtra and Chennai to work with us for six months. This waiter has returned home. I am not aware about his caste as we only ask the employee his qualification, his experience and language skills. The CCTV footage of the incident is not available as it took place more than a fortnight ago and oyr CCTV is refreshed every 10 days," said Sandesh.
Darshan hit back at Indrajith saying the latter was a very big "investigator". "Let him prove the case. There are several invisible hands working against me," said Darshan.
Later in the day, Indrajith, who held another press meet, dismissed the hotel owner's version stating that the assault on the waiter was not an isolated case.
"Darshan and his friends are embroiled in many such cases. The waiter is from Karnataka and has lost his eyesight after the attack. He was removed from the job. The late night party was held on June 24, in violation of the Covid lockdown and it went on till 3 am. Darshan, Harsha, Rakesh and actress Pavitra Gowda were accompanied by two other girls in the party. After the incident, Darshan was sent out of the hotel and Sandesh and Darshan are not on talking terms," said Indrajith, adding that in a similar altercation at Hotel Social, a person named Gopalraj Urs, assaulted by Darshan's group, is now in coma.
"The watchman of Darshan's farmhouse was also beaten up and he has left the job," added Indrajith.
