The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Sunday launched a sharp attack on the Congress-led Karnataka government after a viral video from Bengaluru&rsquo;s Parappana Agrahara Central Jail showed inmates allegedly enjoying unauthorised privileges, including access to mobile phones and televisions.
BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla alleged that the video exposed deep-rooted &ldquo;corruption and collusion&rdquo; within the prison system, claiming that jails in the state had turned into &ldquo;party zones&rdquo; for convicts.
&ldquo;Under the Congress regime in Karnataka, the law and order situation has completely collapsed, and there is such an amount of corruption and collusion that prisons in Karnataka have now become party zones,&rdquo; Poonawalla said.
The BJP leader claimed that among the inmates seen in the viral video were a rape convict, an ISIS recruiter, and a gold smuggler, all of whom appeared to have access to phones, televisions, and other luxuries.
&ldquo;Look at the brazen manner in which some videos have emerged from the jail in which we can see a convicted serial rapist, who tormented many women in Karnataka, appears to have access to a phone and television. An ISIS recruiter involved in radicalising the youth, who has been arrested by the NIA, has access to a mobile phone. One gold smuggler who has caused significant losses to the country has access to booze, parties, and mobile phones,&rdquo; he said.
Poonawalla further alleged that the Congress government had extended &ldquo;state patronage&rdquo; to criminals, allowing them to enjoy &ldquo;seven-star&rdquo; facilities inside the prison. 
He demanded accountability from Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Home Minister G. Parameshwara.
&ldquo;A hand of support from the Congress party and state patronage that has been given to these dreaded criminals, who are enjoying seven-star facilities inside the jail... It is complete corruption within the system, and mere statements and outrage are not enough. There must be accountability from the chief minister and the home minister. They must be held responsible for this. They are the ones who should be resigning today,&rdquo; he added.
The BJP also staged a protest outside Chief Minister Siddaramaiah&rsquo;s official residence in Bengaluru, demanding the resignation of Home Minister G. Parameshwara.
BJP District Incharge S. Harish accused the state government of turning prisons into &ldquo;safe havens&rdquo; for criminals and terrorists. 
&ldquo;The prisons are not prisons anymore in this Congress government... They have become a safe haven... Terrorists across the country want a transfer to the Bangalore jail because it has become a safe haven... They want this jail only,&rdquo; he said.
The controversy erupted after a purported video surfaced showing high-profile inmates at Parappana Agrahara Jail enjoying &ldquo;VVIP treatment.&rdquo; 
Among those allegedly seen in the footage were death-row convict Umesh Reddy, gold smuggler Tarun Raj, and an ISIS operative brought from Dubai.
Following the uproar, Karnataka Home Minister G. Parameshwara announced that Jail Superintendent Magery and ASP Ashok Bhajantri had been dismissed after an internal inquiry confirmed reports of inmates receiving &ldquo;VVIP treatment&rdquo; inside the central jail.

BJP leaders protest outside Karnataka Chief Minister’s residence

BJP alleges Karnataka prisons turned into “party zones” for convicts, seeks CM’s apology

BJP Slams Congress Over Bengaluru Jail Video

BJP alleges Karnataka prisons turned into “party zones” for convicts, seeks CM’s apology

November 10, 2025 | 18:00 IST