Travel agency owner arrested post actor Darshan Thoogudeepa VIP treatment controversy in jail

Kannada actor Darshan Thoogudeepa is facing serious legal troubles as he remains in judicial custody for his alleged involvement in the murder of Renukaswamy. Ahead of his bail plea hearing, the South-East Division police have arrested Manivannan, the owner of a travel agency, for allegedly supplying a mobile phone to Darshan while he was detained.

As per a report by The Hindu, the investigation into the actor's treatment in Parappana Agrahara jail revealed that Darshan received VIP treatment, which has raised concerns among authorities. Manivannan is accused of providing a SIM card and mobile phone to Dharma, a fellow inmate. Reports suggest that Darshan used the phone to make WhatsApp calls to Dharma's family, which later went viral on social media. Following this incident, Dharma reportedly disposed of the phone and SIM card by flushing them down the toilet. However, police were able to trace the SIM back to Yadav, a driver for Manivannan.

Police arrested Manivannan and located the mobile shop where the phone was purchased following Yadav's confession. They have also recorded statements from the shop owner and filed a detailed report regarding the incident and the potential involvement of prison officials in facilitating this VIP treatment.

Darshan Thoogudeepa has been in custody since June 2024, after the arrest for allegedly orchestrating the murder of a fan who sent derogatory messages to Pavithra Gowda, his alleged girlfriend.

The "Challenging Star" was initially held at Bangalore Central Prison, he was later transferred to Bellary jail after images surfaced showing him receiving special treatment behind bars where he was seen having cigarettes and sipping coffee casually sitting on a chair along with others.