Kannada actor Darshan Thoogudeepa, arrested in connection with the murder of 33-year-old Renukaswamy, had moved a petition in the Karnataka High Court, seeking direction to the prison authorities to permit him to have access to private sourced/home food, cutlery, bedding, and books to be supplied by his family members.
According to media reports, Darshan had fallen ill after consuming food served in the prison.
According to media reports, the police filed a statement of objection, observing that Karnataka Prisons and Correctional Services Manual-2021 stipulates that undertrial prisoners accused of murder should not be allowed to have their own clothes, bedding and cutleries.
“In the present case at hand, the petitioner who is accused of committing murder is squarely covered under the above-mentioned rules and hence, he is not entitled for the relief sought in the present writ petition,” the police statement read, according to Deccan Herald.
As per section 30 of the Karnataka Prisons Act, 1963 the undertrial prisoner can seek home/privately-soruced food, clothing, books, and other such necessities, subject to approval from IG of the prison.
“In the present case at hand, no such request has been made by the petitioner with a prayer to permit him to access home food supplied by his family or the bedding to the concerned authority," the police statement read.
"...even if such a request is to be made, the same would still be at the discretion of the Inspector-General who upon considering the relevancy and the necessity would pass suitable orders,” it added.
The petition by the actor is scheduled to come up for hearing on Friday.
