Bengaluru court reserves order on Darshan plea for mattress, pillows for September 19

BENGALURU: A city court on Wednesday reserved its order for September 19 on a plea by jailed actor Darshan seeking certain facilities like mattress, pillows and blankets and alleging contempt of court by the jail authorities.

During the hearing on Wednesday, the government lawyer Sachin presented a report to the court on the facilities provided to Darshan in jail. The report mentioned that Darshan has been allowed phone and video calls, and has been provided with a straw mat and blanket as per the jail manual.

However, Darshan’s lawyer Sunil countered this saying that none of the facilities sought had been provided and that the actor has been put in a quarantine cell for a month though an undertrial can be put only for 14 days, and cited WHO guidelines.

“Even Pakistani prisoners are allowed to play carrom, but my client is being harassed. The cell is covered and the jail authorities do not respond to us. They say the family is being allowed to meet him as per rules. But none of our requests have been met”, he contended.

The government lawyer pointed out that as per the jail manual, Darshan has been given a mat, blanket and some utensils. “He has been allowed walks for one hour each in the mornings and evenings. Whatever is prescribed in the jail manual has been provided. There is nothing such as quarantine now”, he contended.