Cops get permission to grill Darshan, rowdies Naga & Seena

Bengaluru: A city court on Tuesday evening permitted police to interrogate actor Darshan, rowdy-sheeters Wilson Garden Naga, Kulla Seena, Dharma, his friend Sathya, and the star's manager Nagaraj in connection with the two recent cases against them for enjoying privileges at Bengaluru Central Prison.The investigating officers (IOs) of the two cases approached the court seeking permission to interrogate them as they are already in judicial custody in different criminal cases. A senior police officer said, "We got permission from the court only in the evening. So, the investigating officers are yet to thoroughly question Darshan and the other accused in prison. We're still interrogating Sathya, who was detained Monday evening for conversing with Darshan on a video call.""Since the IO is yet to question Darshan in two cases and record his statement, he may ask the prison authorities to let the actor stay in Bengaluru Central Prison for one more day or may question him overnight and shift him to Central Prison, Ballari later on Wednesday," the police officer said.Police commissioner B Dayananda visited the prison Tuesday. "I reviewed the investigation carried out in three cases and gave some instructions to the officers. We're yet to ascertain details of who clicked the photo and when," he told TOI.The first FIR against Darshan names him accused no. 1 and is about him, his manager Nagaraj, and rowdies Wilson Garden Naga and Kulla Seena chilling out on the prison lawns. The prisoners were seen smoking, which is a violation according to the prison manual. Nagaraj has been named accused no. 2, Wilson Garden Naga no. 3, and Seena no. 4.The second FIR is about Darshan conversing on a video call with Sathya. The call was made by another undertrial prisoner, Dharma. Darshan is accused no. 1 in the case, Dharma no. 2, and Sathya no. 3. Both cases are registered under the Karnataka Prisons (Amendment) Act.A third FIR has been registered over a few things being shifted in the jail by staffers and prisoners on the eve of the Aug 24 raid by Central Crime Branch sleuths. The FIR identified supervisor Sudharshan KS, jailer Paramesh Nayak Lamani, assistant jailer Rayamane KB, and convict Mujeeb. The three officials have since been suspended.A senior police officer said, "We're more worried about what they shifted, why they did and where. We have sought the court's permission and issued notices to the suspended officials to appear before the IO for interrogation."Meanwhile, Divya Shree KC, who was training academy director, took charge as DIG (Prisons) on Tuesday.