7 Bangalore Central Jail staff suspended for providing luxury items to actor Darshan: Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah

Belagavi: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said that seven staff members of the Parappanna Agrahara Jail in Bengaluru have been suspended for providing luxury items to murder accused actor Darshan and other jail inmates. Home Minister Dr G Parameshwar has initiated an inquiry into the involvement of senior officials in malpractice and if they are found to be involved, action will be taken against them too.

Siddaramaiah told reporters on Monday that seven officials had been suspended with immediate effect after the lapses in the prison came to light and further action would be taken against other staff. “I have asked Dr Parameshwar to visit the facility and based on his report, action will be taken against other persons involved in the lapses,” he said.

“If senior prison officials are involved in the incident, they will not be spared and action will also be taken against them,” he added.

To questions regarding Darshan's shifting to other prisons, he said officials of the prison department would hold a meeting and take a decision on the matter. To which prison Darshan and the others will be shifted, if at all, will be decided by the officials.

On Coal Minister Pralhad Joshi's allegations that the Congress government in the state was working for the rich, Siddaramaiah said Joshi had no moral right to speak out against the Congress government in Karnataka. “We have implemented five guarantees that have benefited the poor and the people across the state,” Siddaramaiah said.

He added that Joshi himself should answer the question as to who they are working for and how much they have done for the poor. Mere allegations should not be made, he said.