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

Belagavi: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said that seven staff from Parappanna Agrahara jail in Bengaluru have been suspended for providing luxuries to actor Darshan accused of murder and other prison inmates. Home Minister Dr G Parameshwar has been conducting inquiry of the involvement of senior officials in lapses and if they too are found to be involved, action will also be taken against them.

Siddaramaiah told reporters here on Monday that after the lapses in the prison came to the fore, seven officials have been suspended with immediate effect and that further action will be taken against more personnel. "I have asked Dr Parameshwar to visit the facility and based on his report, action will be taken against others involved in the lapses," he said.

"Senior prison officials if found involved, will not be spared and action will be taken against them too," he added.

On queries regarding Darshan to be shifted to other prisons, he said, officials from the Prisons Department will conduct a meeting and take a decision on this. The prison where Darshan and others will be shifted, if at all that is the case, will be decided by officials.

As for allegations labelled by Union Coal Minister Pralhad Joshi that the Congress government in the state has been working for the rich, Siddaramaiah said that Joshi does not have any moral right to speak against the Congress government in Karnataka. "We have implemented five guarantees that have benefitted the poor and people from the state at large," Siddaramaiah said.

He further added that Joshi himself should answer whom they are working for and how much they have worked for the poor. Mere statements should not be made, he said.