The Karnataka High Court on Friday asked prison authorities to explain why they shifted undertrials out of the Central Prison in Bengaluru to jails across the State following a video showing actor Darshan Thoogudeepa receiving preferential treatment that went viral on social media.

Justice M Nagaprasanna said that prison authorities will have to answer why they shifted undertrials “en masse” and not just Darshan and the two others seen with him in the said video.

“Who were found with Darshan that day? Whom did you find in that viral video? Only three people..then why did you shift everybody? If you have problem with the three people, shift only them. Why did you shift everybody? What inquiry did you conduct prior (to shifting)? You will have to answer because you have shifted these undertrials without consulting the investigating officers. Why did you shift them en masse? Whoever was sitting there with Darshan, you shift them. Why do you shift everybody?” the judge asked.

The Court was hearing a petition filed by Pradosh, Darshan’s co-accused in the Renukaswamy murder case. Pradosh was shifted to the Hindalga Prison in Belagavi while Darshan was transferred from Bengaluru's Parappana Agrahara Central Prison to Ballari Central Jail last month.

In his petition filed through Advocate Hitesh Gowda, Pradosh had sought quashing of the Chief Judicial Magistrate’s order passed on August 27 directing his transfer to the prison in Belagavi.

Pradosh claimed that such transfer to a distant prison was made without following procedure, and that it adversely affected his right to defence.

In his petition, Pradosh pointed out that besides Darshan, eleven other undertrials were shifted out of the Central Prison even though they had no relation to the said video.

The State, however, argued that the decision to shift the undertrials had been taken following an internal inquiry conducted by the prison authorities.

The Court will hear the matter further on Monday, September 30.