4 booked after video of dance party inside Bengaluru Central prison goes viral

Hours before Karnataka Home Minister G. Parameshwara ordered a crackdown on prison officials following a high-level meeting over alleged VIP treatment at the Parappana Agrahara Central prison in Bengaluru, the prison authorities probing one of the leaked videos tracked down the four inmates dancing under the influence of intoxicants inside a barrack.

Following a preliminary inquiry, prison officials identified four undertrials — Karthik alias Chitte, Dhananjaya, Manjunatha, and Charan Rao — as those seen dancing and partying inside Room No. 7 of Barrack 8.

On November 9, a video showing inmates dancing to loud music, banging plastic cans and plates as makeshift drums, and allegedly consuming liquor along with snacks, went viral on social media.

Based on a complaint filed by Imamsab Myageri, the now-suspended prison official accused of negligence and dereliction of duty, Parappana Agrahara police registered an FIR against the four inmates under various sections of the Karnataka Prisons Act and Section 323 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), which deals with dishonest or fraudulent concealment of property.

In his complaint, Mr. Myageri stated that the video not only showed inmates dancing and creating a ruckus, but also indicated the presence of banned items inside the prison. The footage, believed to have been recorded on a smuggled mobile phone, was leaked to the media. The complainant sought a detailed investigation to trace how the phone and contraband entered the prison, who filmed the video, and how it was circulated.

During a review meeting with senior officials on November 10, the Home Minister took exception to repeated instances of indiscipline and laxity among prison staff. He ordered the suspension of two officials and transferred the Chief Superintendent of the Central prison, stating that such incidents would not be tolerated.

“The prison is meant to be a correctional institution, not a place for parties and privileges,” Dr. Parameshwara said, warning that strict action would follow against those responsible.

A CCB technical team is probing the source of the leaked videos. The police have geared up to take the four accused in the case into custody on body warrant as part of the probe.