Leaked photo of actor Darshan Togudeep in jail sparks controversy

According to sources, the photo of Darshan with a tea cup and a cigarette was shot by someone inside the jail before it went viral. According to the photo, which was circulating on social networking sites on Sunday, Darshan was seen beaming and chatting with his friends, identified as Wilson Garden Naga, his manager Nagaraj and another person whose identity could not be immediately ascertained. Darshan and his friends had seats for chatting in the jail garden.

Darshan is in judicial custody in connection with the alleged murder of Renukaswamy, a resident of Chitradurga district in Karnataka, along with his girlfriend Pavithra Gowda and 11 others.

Reacting to the photograph, Bharatiya Janata Party Member of Parliament N. Ravikumar demanded action against prison officials and staff looking after the actor's needs in jail, suspecting that they were involved in helping the actor fulfill all his needs by being in jail.

Ravikumar asked Home Minister Dr G Parameshwar whether the actor was being kept in a “jail” or a “palace”. “This is a classic case of breakdown of law and order in the state,” the BJP MP remarked.

During his funeral, Renukaswami's father Shivanagouder told reporters that a detailed investigation had been launched into whether the actor had access to tea, cigarettes and other beverages in jail, and said the attitude of the prison officials had “hurt” him.

“I have faith in the police, otherwise the time may come when the family of the deceased will demand an investigation by the Central Bureau of Investigation investigators,” he said, urging the state government to take measures to prevent a recurrence of such incidents in the prison.