Bengaluru:

The prison authorities have provided a television to jailed Kannada superstar Darshan on the occasion of the Ganesh Chaturthi festival. Darshan, along with his partner Pavithra Gowda and 15 others is facing charges of kidnapping and murdering his fan, Renukaswamy.

Sources said that the prison authorities allowed the installation of a 32-inch television in Darshan’s cell on early Saturday. Darshan had requested a television from the prison authorities last week, stating that he wanted to keep up with news regarding the submission of the chargesheet in his case and was ‘curious’ to know what was happening in the outside world.

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Sources said that there is a provision to provide a television as per prison guidelines and the delay occurred because the television had to be repaired. The prison authorities had earlier obliged Darshan’s request for a surgical chair, as he was unable to use the Indian toilet available in his cell. Darshan had also requested permission to make phone calls which he was allowed.

They said that Rs 35,000 was deposited into the prisoner’s private account, and he had spent Rs 735 on tea and coffee ordered from the jail canteen. The sources revealed that Darshan has been under pressure following the submission of the charge sheet against him and is worried about the consequences.

Meanwhile, the charge sheet has revealed the cruelty Darshan unleashed on Renukaswamy during his captivity. It mentions that Darshan and the other accused forced Renukaswamy to eat non-vegetarian food, knowing that he was a vegetarian. When Renukaswamy spat out the biryani, Darshan kicked him, berating him for spitting out the food.

Darshan reportedly kicked him repeatedly even as Renukaswamy was bleeding and critically injured. Darshan later travelled to Mysuru city wearing the same shoes, which had traces of Renukaswamy’s blood. However, when the police arrested Darshan the next morning, he was wearing a different pair of shoes. The hotel staff had packed his blood-stained shoes and other belongings and sent them to the residence of Darshan’s wife, Vijayalaxmi, in Bengaluru.

The police later seized all articles belonging to Darshan from Vijayalaxmi’s residence. Sources said that the bloodstain on Darshan’s shoes is one of the crucial pieces of evidence in the case to prove his involvement in the murder.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

It is happy scenes all around. A purported picture of popular Kannada actor Darshan Thoogudeepa, who is in judicial custody in a murder case, hanging out with three others in clear light of day is steadily going viral.

NDTV cannot independently verify the authenticity of the now-viral image.

Seated on plastic chairs in an open ground, around a grassy patch of land, the four men appear to be looking into the distance, shows the picture.

Darshan, currently lodged in Bengaluru’s Parappana Agrahara Central jail, is holding a cup in his right hand and a cigarette in the other, shows the picture, and his gaze appears to be fixed at something in the distance.

To his right, is gangster Wilson Garden Naga, and other inmates Nagaraj (Darshan’s manager and co-accused) and Kulla Seena. They appear to be looking at something and a hint of smile is visible on their faces.

In July, the Karnataka High Court underlined that all citizens and undertrial prisoners are entitled to a nutritious diet, without any distinctions based on their social or financial status, while hearing a petition filed by the Kannada actor.

Darshan had challenged a magistrate court order that rejected his request for home-cooked food, bedding, and cutlery in prison.

The picture raises doubts whether Darshan – who was arrested in June in connection with the murder of Renukaswamy who allegedly sent obscene texts to his co-star – and his companions were allegedly being provided special facilities inside the jail.

With the photo in wide circulation, the jail authorities have been asked to conduct an inquiry into the matter.

Reacting to the picture, Kashinath S Shivanagowdru, Renukaswamy’s father, has demanded a CBI probe and punishment for those behind it.

“With such things there is a feeling that a CBI probe should happen… Looking at the picture I’m surprised to see him (Darshan) with others holding a cigarette and drinking tea. We get a doubt whether he is in jail or not. Jail should be a jail and should not become something else. He should be treated like other normal prisoners, but here it looks like he seems to be sitting in a resort,” he told reporters in the district headquarters town of Chitradurga.

“I know the pain of losing my son…we are deeply pained, and he (Darshan) seems to be enjoying being there, in jail… We still have faith in the police and the government,” the father added.

A total of 17 people, including Darshan along with his friend Pavithra Gowda, are in judicial custody in connection with the murder of Renukaswamy.

According to police sources, 33-year-old Renukaswamy, a fan of the actor, had sent obscene messages to Gowda, which enraged Darshan, allegedly leading to the fan’s murder. His body was found near a stormwater drain next to an apartment in Sumanahalli on June 9.

New Delhi:

Kannada actor Darshan Thoogudeepa was recently taken into police custody in connection with the murder of Renuka Swamy, a 33-year-old fan. As the investigation continues, with 17 arrested so far in the case, the unresolved mystery of the disappearance of Darshan’s former manager, Mallikarjun B Sankanagoudar has come to the fore. 

According to a report by OneIndia, Mallikarjun, originally from Karnataka’s Gadag district, worked closely with Darshan, managing his film schedules and various affairs, but has been missing since 2016. His role extended beyond typical managerial duties as he ventured into film production and distribution. However, financial troubles loomed large over Mallikarjun’s professional life.

Investments in film production led to substantial losses, plunging him into debt, the report claims. Among his creditors was veteran actor Arjun Sarja, who reportedly lent him Rs 1 crore. The debt became a legal matter when Mr Sarja filed a lawsuit to recover the loan, citing an agreement related to the distribution of the movie ‘Prema Baraha,’ which he directed.

Reports suggest that Mallikarjun allegedly misappropriated around Rs 2 crore from Darshan. His sudden vanishing act has left many questions unanswered, particularly about the debts and the circumstances surrounding his financial dealings.

Despite ongoing efforts by the police, Mallikarjun remains untraceable. The Thoogudeepa family has remained silent on the issue, leading to speculation about whether there has been a deliberate attempt to ignore the situation.

Renuka Swamy, a devoted fan of Darshan, was allegedly murdered on the orders of the actor himself. Mr Swamy, who worked at a pharmacy, had reportedly been harassing Pavithra Gowda, Darshan’s rumoured girlfriend, by sending her objectionable messages and pictures. This provoked Darshan, leading to the brutal killing orchestrated by a gang.

The police have arrested 17 people in connection with the murder, including Darshan and Pavithra Gowda. 

Bengaluru:

Ravi, the driver involved in a murder case in which popular Kannada actor Darshan Thoogudeepa and his girlfriend Pavithra Gowda are accused, told police that he was instructed to take the fall for the murder but refused. 

According to Ravi, Renuka Swamy, whose body was discovered later, did not anticipate the assault that awaited him when he got into his cab. Ravi stated that Mr Swamy was not forcibly taken but was persuaded by others to join them. In the cab, the others accused in the case assured Mr Swamy they would take him to meet Darshan and suggested that he apologise for his social media comments against the actor’s girlfriend. 

Darshan along with his co-star and girlfriend Pavithra Gowda and 11 others, is in police custody. Ms Gowda allegedly prompted Darshan to punish Renuka Swamy for derogatory remarks allegedly made on her social media posts.

Ravi transported Renuka Swamy from Chitradurga to Bengaluru, a journey of approximately 200 kilometres. Upon reaching Bengaluru, Ravi went into hiding but later contacted the taxi association in Chitradurga, who advised him to surrender to the police.

Ravi’s surrender on Thursday night to the Deputy Superintendent of Police’s office in Chitradurga has given a new direction to the investigation. According to the police, Raghu alias Raghavendra, who managed a fan club for Darshan in Chitradurga, arranged the taxi that Ravi drove. Raghu, along with others, had organised the kidnapping of Renuka Swamy on June 8, leading to the sequence of events.

Details from the investigation reveal that Darshan and his aides took Swamy to a shed in Bengaluru’s Kamakshipalya. There, Darshan allegedly thrashed Swamy with a belt, and his aides beat him with sticks until he lost consciousness. The assault resulted in multiple fractures and severe injuries. Renuka Swamy’s body, later found by a food delivery rider, was being nibbled by dogs.

The autopsy report confirmed the brutal nature of the murder, citing shock and haemorrhage as the cause of death. The report identified 15 wounds on Swamy’s body, with injuries to the head, abdomen, chest, and other parts. His head had also rammed into a mini-truck parked at the shed, adding to the fatal injuries. The police seized the truck and other instruments used in the torture, including wooden logs, a leather belt, and a rope.

Darshan allegedly planted three men to take the blame for the murder, offering them Rs 5 lakh each. 

Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara has refuted allegations of preferential treatment being given to Darshan during his detention at the Annapoorneshwari Nagar police station. Mr Parameshwara said that Darshan is receiving the same treatment as any other accused, dispelling rumors of special facilities such as being served ‘Biryani’.

“It is not possible for police to give Biryani and royal treatment to the accused. It is not done and it should not be done,” Mr Parameshwara said. 

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar also denied any undue influence over the investigation. Reports suggesting that a state minister was attempting to protect Darshan were strongly denied by Mr Shivakumar, who said no political pressure was being applied.

“There is no pressure from anyone…..neither our Home Minister or anyone else is involved in it, we are not recommending anything, we don’t know anything,” Mr Shivakumar said.

The case has sparked widespread outrage, leading to protests across Karnataka. In Kalaburagi, the Jangam Samaj organised a massive demonstration demanding severe punishment for Darshan and his associates. Protesters marched from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Circle to the District Deputy Commissioner’s Office, where they burned Darshan’s portrait to condemn the murder.

BJP leader CP Yogeshwar claimed that Mr Shivakumar and his brother, former MP DK Suresh, had plans to field Darshan as a Congress candidate in the upcoming Channapatna Assembly by-election. This by-election is pending following the election of JD(S) leader and former Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy to the Lok Sabha.