Renukaswamy Murder: 15 Phones, Knives, and Stoves Found In Bengaluru Jail Amid Actor Darshan's Viral Photo

A police raid at Bengaluru Central Prison led to the discovery of mobile phones, cash, and other prohibited items, signifying persistent illegal activities and systemic corruption within the facility.

During a recent police raid at Bengaluru Central Prison, authorities confiscated mobile phones, cash, and other prohibited items.

The raid, conducted by the south division police, uncovered 15 mobile phones, including a Samsung device valued at Rs 1.3 lakh, seven electric mud stoves, five knives, three mobile phone chargers, two pen drives, Rs 36,000 in cash, cigarette packets, beedi packets, and matchstick boxes.

Photo Credit: Oneindia

The operation was led by Deputy Commissioner of Police (Southeast) Sarah Fathima and included inspectors from Hulimavu, Begur, and Parappana Agrahara police stations. The team of 40 officers began the raid around 4:30 pm and focused on the barrack where Nagaraj alias Wilson Garden Naga is lodged. The search continued until 8 pm.

Focus on Naga's Barrack

Interestingly, the raid was limited to Naga's barrack. According to a report published in 2022 by the Karnataka State Legal Services Authority and Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative titled "Inside Karnataka Prisons," there are 21 barracks in the prison. Despite previous FIRs and staff suspensions following an incident involving actor Darshan and some rowdy-sheeters, illegal activities persist within the prison.

A senior police officer commented on the situation: "Despite the FIRs registered and the staff suspended after the Darshan episode, the prison staff have failed to prevent or control illegal activities or they continue to provide banned items to inmates. It clearly shows how corrupt the system in the prison is."

Hidden Contraband

During the raid, four mobile phones were discovered hidden inside an empty switchboard in the power control room. Eleven more devices were found wrapped in a water pipe in a cell bathroom. The seized stoves were reportedly used for preparing tea, omelettes, and other dishes.

The search did not extend to Block 3 of the prison where Darshan was housed. This block also contains Banaswadi rowdy-sheeter Dharma who had previously facilitated a video call with Darshan. A separate case has been registered under the Karnataka Prisoners (Amendment) Act-2022 and Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita Section 323 for dishonest or fraudulent removal or concealment of property.

Previous Raids

Typically, prison raids are carried out by Central Crime Branch (CCB) officers. On August 24th, CCB conducted a raid but did not find anything significant. However, within days of this raid, a photo of Darshan sitting on a lawn with some rowdy-sheeters went viral. This image showed him smoking a cigarette and sipping a drink alongside his manager Nagaraj.

On that same day, a video call clip from rowdy-sheeter Dharma's phone also surfaced online. Three cases were subsequently registered against prison staff and a convicted prisoner for moving certain items before the CCB raid took place. These cases are still under investigation.

The recent findings highlight ongoing issues within Bengaluru Central Prison despite previous efforts to curb illegal activities among inmates. The persistence of such problems underscores systemic corruption within the facility.