4 min readBengaluruUpdated: Mar 4, 2026 04:58 PM IST
The Karnataka High Court on Wednesday allowed a state government appeal and set aside a trial court order directing prison authorities to allow home-cooked food to the co-accused in the Renukaswamy murder case, observing that “medical advice must precede the grant of home cooked food to undertrial prisoners and permission cannot be granted merely on request or as a matter of indulgence”.
Renukaswamy, a fan of actor Darshan Thoogudeepa, was allegedly murdered over sending lewd comments to the actor’s friend Pavitra Gowda on Instagram. His body was discovered near a stormwater drain in Bengaluru in June 2024. A trial court had directed authorities to allow home-cooked food to Gowda, Nagaraju R, and Lakshman M, all co-accused in the Renukaswamy murder case, along with Thoogudeepa.
Reading from the order, which will be made available on Thursday, Justice M Nagaprasanna said, “The trial court order is legally unsustainable as it directed the grant of home cooked food without prior medical examination or recommendation. Granting of such concessions indiscriminately would cause chaos in the prison management as other inmates would also be entitled for similar treatment.”
The bench also stated, “The protection of human dignity does not cease at the gates of the prison. The prisoners though deprived of liberty are entitled for basic necessities, in accordance with law. Home cooked food for undertrial prisoners is not prohibited but it can be granted only in accordance with prison rules and procedures.”
Advocate Sunil Kumar, appearing for the accused, had pointed out to the court that the quality of food served to prisoners was not good, because of which they pleaded before the trial court to grant them the facility of home-cooked food. He had said, “Jail authorities are spending only Rs 85 per prisoner on breakfast, lunch, and dinner. There is no quality food served.”
Additional State Public Prosecutor B N Jagadeesh had opposed it and contended that according to a Food Safety and Standards Authority of India report, the food served in prison has been rated four stars for nutrition. On hearing the parties, the court had said it would frame some guidelines to be followed by prison authorities for providing home-cooked food and bedding for inmates.
Section 30 of Karnataka Prisons Act, 1963, provides for maintenance of certain prisoners from private sources, which says “civil prisoner or an unconvicted criminal prisoner shall be permitted to maintain himself and to purchase or receive from private sources at proper hours food, clothing, bedding or writing materials, books, newspapers or other necessaries, subject to examination and to such regulations as may be approved by the Inspector-General”.
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‘Legitimate questions about nutritional sufficiency’
Justice Nagaprasanna, in his order, noted that it is a matter of concern regarding the adequacy and quality of prison food. Noting that Rs 125 (amount revised recently by authorities) is spent per day for four meals per prisoner, the court said, “It raises legitimate questions about nutritional sufficiency.”
The court further said, “To safeguard prisoners’ rights and to ensure transparency, I deem it appropriate to direct the digital publication of prison menus at conspicuous places, establishment of grievance mechanisms to complain deficiencies in food quality inter alia if not one is already in place.”
The court also directed that a medical officer or dietician shall conduct periodic inspection of the food prepared for undertrials/inmates and record their certification with regard to its quality. The court has directed the state government to issue a circular towards the procedure for compliance with the said directions.
Allowing the petition of the state, the court set aside the trial court order and said, “It is open to the petitioners to seek home-cooked food provided it is advised by a doctor and is in accordance with applicable prison rules and considering the observations made by the Supreme Court while cancelling bail granted to actor Darshan.”
