Bengaluru: The Karnataka high court Tuesday stayed the operation of two orders issued by the trial court in the Renukaswamy murder case that allowed home-cooked food for the accused, including actor Darshan, Pavithra Gowda and others.Justice M Nagaprasanna passed the order after hearing a petition filed by Kamakshipalya police challenging the trial court’s clarificatory order dated Jan 12, 2026.On Dec 29, 2025, 57th City Civil and Sessions court directed the jail authorities to provide home food to the first accused Pavithra Gowda, accused no. 11 R Nagaraja and accused no. 12 M Lakshman after an oral submission that they were not being provided with proper food. On Jan 5, 2026, jail officials sought a clarification from the trial court, citing the Supreme Court’s decision in the same case.On Jan 12, 2026, the trial court passed the clarificatary order directing jail authorities to allow the three accused and also, others who are in judicial custody, to receive home food once a week and in other circumstances, as and when a doctor advised, without giving any further clarification. The trial court also warned that in case of lapses, the officials concerned will have to face consequences. Kamakshipalya police challenged the trial court’s latest order, contending that permitting the accused to receive food on a weekly basis was unjustifiable and posed administrative difficulties, particularly with respect to the mandatory testing of such food.Additional state public prosecutor BN Jagadeesha drew the court’s attention to a Supreme Court order which mandates that if any special treatment is extended to prisoners, the jail superintendent would be suspended.He added: “All food supplied in the jail is certified by the FSSAI and has been awarded a four-star rating. The magistrate has passed a detailed clarificatory order extending the benefit not only to the three persons but to all accused in the case.”Spl treatment to select prisoners amount to misconduct: Court Justice M Nagaprasanna noted that the SC, in this very matter, had observed that however influential a person may be, the law stands above all, and obedience to the law is a matter of right, not favour. “The SC has observed that providing special food to select prisoners, even if they are undertrials, would amount to misconduct,” the judge said, adding the court, in complete or blatant ignorance of what the SC observed in the case of Darshan and other accused who were facing trial, issued a showcause notice even to the state as to why the food is not granted. It is true that food can be granted from the house under special circumstances for which elaborate procedure is prescribed. All the procedures are given a go by and an order is passed which is contrary to the SC order.”Referring to the SC’s observation that “a prison is a prison, whether for a prisoner or an undertrial, and extending special treatment to some while subjecting others to normal treatment would be in violation of law,” the judge noted, adding: “In that light, I deem it appropriate to stay the orders dated Dec 29, 2025 and Jan 12, 2026 until the next date of hearing. Emergent notices to the respondents (Pavithra Gowda and two others) shall be served through the jail superintendent.“
