The shocking video leak from Bengaluru’s high-security Parappana Agrahara Central Prison exposed alleged VVIP treatment for high-profile inmates, including terror accused and serial rapists. While the public expects a swift crackdown on the jail staff and officials who allowed these gross security lapses, the investigation has taken a controversial turn.
The Central Crime Branch (CCB) has shifted focus to questioning Kannada actor Danveer Gowda (a close associate of actor Darshan, currently in judicial custody), leading to questions about the police priorities: Why is the CCB drilling Danveer instead of directly identifying the source of the camera and the corrupt jail officials?
The Dual Focus of the CCB Probe
The CCBβs investigation technically has two mandates following the FIR filed by prison authorities:
- Investigate the irregularities (the VVIP treatment itself).
- Investigate the unauthorized recording and leaking of the video.
However, the intensive and high-profile questioning of Danveer Gowda suggests an immediate priority on the leak rather than the lapse.
1. Why is Danveer Gowda Under Scrutiny?
Danveer Gowda’s name surfaced primarily due to his proximity to actor Darshan, who is currently incarcerated in the same prison. The main theories being investigated are:
- Circulation Link: Police suspect Danveer may have been involved in circulating the video on social media after it was recorded inside.
- Motive Theory: There are questions in some media circles about whether the video leak was orchestrated to highlight the alleged suffering or lack of facilities faced by one set of inmates (like Darshan) by contrasting it with the luxurious treatment of others (like terror accused and rapist Umesh Reddy). Danveer’s connection to Darshan makes him a person of interest in this narrative.
- Technical Evidence: The CCB reportedly seized and sent Danveerβs mobile phone to the FSL (Forensic Science Laboratory) to retrieve deleted data and verify if his device was used to record or share the footage.
2. The Public Question: Where is the Investigation on Corruption?
The primary scandal lies not in who leaked the video, but in how a camera, mobile phones, luxury items, and VVIP access were made available to dangerous criminals in a high-security zone.
- The Bribe Trail: The investigation into the actual corruption requires tracing the money and favors exchanged. This leads directly to prison staff, superintendents, and political influence. The absence of arrests or high-profile interrogations of senior prison officials has led to criticism that the authorities are focusing on the messenger (the video leak) rather than the message (the corruption).
- The Camera Source: If the focus is on the leak, the CCB must trace the device that recorded the video. This is a technical forensic challenge that should be independent of personal connections to Sandalwood actors.
- Fear of Deeper Exposure: Some analysts suggest that the emphasis on Danveer is a tactic to divert attention or to quickly contain the source of the leak, fearing that continued exposure could reveal even greater administrative and political protection afforded to the VIP inmates.
The Way Forward
While questioning individuals like Danveer is a valid part of a comprehensive investigation into the leak’s origin, the probe’s ultimate success will be judged by the concrete action taken against the corrupt jail officials who allowed rapists and terror suspects to enjoy “royal treatment.” The CCB must demonstrate that the integrity of the state’s prison system is their highest priority, not merely suppressing the evidence of its failure.