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Two top prison officials and seven others were suspended Monday a day after a purported photo and a video of Kannada actor Darshan Thoogudeepa went viral, in which he is seen smoking inside the Parappana Agrahara Central Prison in Bengaluru. Home Minister G Parameshwara told reporters Monday that V Seshumurthy, Chief Superintendent of Prison, Mallikarjun Swamy, Superintendent of Prison, jailers Sharanabasava Aminghada and Prabhu S Khandelwal, assistant jailers L S Thippeswamy, and Srikanth Talwar, head warders Venkappa Kodti and Sampath Kumar Kadapatti, and warder Basappa Keli were suspended. A total of 17 people, including Darshan, are currently in judicial custody in connection with the murder of 33-year-old Renukaswamy. Parameshwara – who along with Karnataka police chief Alok Mohan and other senior officials visited the prison Monday — said that after gathering more information, Sheshumurthy and Swamy were suspended “as it was a lapse on their part.” “They will be replaced with other (officials) with integrity. Three FIRs have been registered under provisions of the Prison Act. The prison manual was violated,” he said. ADGP (Prisons and Correctional Services) Malini Krishnamoorthy said the three FIRs pertain to the usage of mobiles and cigarettes on the jail premises and smuggling these items inside the jail. “Darshan is a party in it. The FIR includes the prison officers and those who used these items as accused. A senior IPS officer will investigate.” In the purported photo, Darshan, holding a cup, can be seen smoking with gangster J Nagaraj alias Wilson Garden Naga in the prison lawn. In the purported video, Darshan can be seen making a video call. The Indian Express could not independently verify the video and photo. According to a prison official, Darshan’s purported photo was shared by the wife of a murder accused. Preliminary probe has revealed that Kannan Vela, an associate of Naga, was arrested in connection with the murder of N Mahesh alias Siddapura Mahesh in August last year. “Kannan Vela who has been lodged in the prison since then took a photo and sent it to his wife. She shared it with others,” an official said. with PTI inputs Click here to join The Indian Express on WhatsApp and get latest news and updates None
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