New Delhi:

The Supreme Court on Friday issues notice to Kannada actors Darshan Thoogudeepa, Pavithra Gowda, and five others in the Renukaswamy murder case and agreed to examine the Karnataka government’s challenge.

A bench of Justices J B Pardiwala and R Mahadevan issued notice to Darshan and others on the state’s plea against the Karnataka High Court’s bail order.

The state government, the apex court said, apprehended other co-accused would be allowed to take advantage of order passed by the high court in the impugned order.

“Since state is praying for cancellation of bail, it would not be proper to stay the operation of the order as it would amount to cancellation of bail. Yet, to protect the interest of prosecution, if any co-accused prays on bail, the court concerned shall not place reliance on the order challenged before us. Any bail application filed shall be decided on its own merit,” the bench said.

The Karnataka High Court on December 13, 2024, granted bail to the actor Darshan and others.

Darshan was arrested on June 11, 2024, for allegedly killing his fan Renukaswamy on June 8 the same year after he reportedly sent obscene messages to Gowda.

Before the grant of bail, the actor was lodged at the Parappana Agrahara Jail in Bengaluru but when a photograph of him relaxing with some other jail inmates went viral, he was transferred to Ballari Central Jail.

The state moved the top court against the grant of bail on January 6.

The mortal remains of 33-year-old Renukaswamy, an autorickshaw driver, were discovered on June 9, 2024.

He allegedly succumbed to injuries after being attacked on the orders of Darshan, who reportedly urged his fans to accost and kidnap Renukaswamy for posting derogatory comments about Gowda on social media.

The Karnataka High Court granted Darshan interim bail on medical grounds for six weeks on October 30, 2024 but gave regular bail to him and others in December. 

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

New Delhi:

The Supreme Court on Friday issues notice to Kannada actors Darshan Thoogudeepa, Pavithra Gowda, and five others in the Renukaswamy murder case and agreed to examine the Karnataka government’s challenge.

A bench of Justices J B Pardiwala and R Mahadevan issued notice to Darshan and others on the state’s plea against the Karnataka High Court’s bail order.

The state government, the apex court said, apprehended other co-accused would be allowed to take advantage of order passed by the high court in the impugned order.

“Since state is praying for cancellation of bail, it would not be proper to stay the operation of the order as it would amount to cancellation of bail. Yet, to protect the interest of prosecution, if any co-accused prays on bail, the court concerned shall not place reliance on the order challenged before us. Any bail application filed shall be decided on its own merit,” the bench said.

The Karnataka High Court on December 13, 2024, granted bail to the actor Darshan and others.

Darshan was arrested on June 11, 2024, for allegedly killing his fan Renukaswamy on June 8 the same year after he reportedly sent obscene messages to Gowda.

Before the grant of bail, the actor was lodged at the Parappana Agrahara Jail in Bengaluru but when a photograph of him relaxing with some other jail inmates went viral, he was transferred to Ballari Central Jail.

The state moved the top court against the grant of bail on January 6.

The mortal remains of 33-year-old Renukaswamy, an autorickshaw driver, were discovered on June 9, 2024.

He allegedly succumbed to injuries after being attacked on the orders of Darshan, who reportedly urged his fans to accost and kidnap Renukaswamy for posting derogatory comments about Gowda on social media.

The Karnataka High Court granted Darshan interim bail on medical grounds for six weeks on October 30, 2024 but gave regular bail to him and others in December. 

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

Bengaluru:

The Karnataka Police Department has announced that it will file an appeal petition in the Supreme Court challenging the bail granted to Kannada actor Darshan in the fan murder case.

Addressing a press conference in Bengaluru on Tuesday, Bengaluru Police Commissioner B. Dayanand stated, “In connection with the Renukaswamy murder case, the police department is preparing to approach the Supreme Court to challenge the bail granted to the accused by the High Court.”

“We are sending a proposal to the government in this regard and are in the process of filing an appeal petition,” he added.

Sources stated that following the instructions from the Home Ministry, the police department has already got the charge sheet against Darshan translated into English and the copy is ready to be submitted to the Supreme Court.

The Karnataka High Court last Friday granted bail to Kannada superstar Darshan and his partner Pavithra Gowda in connection with the Renukaswamy murder case.

Darshan was released from prison on October 30 on interim bail after spending 131 days in jail.

The actor is presently being treated for severe back pain at the BGS Apollo Hospital in Bengaluru.

Darshan’s partner and actress Pavithra Gowda (33) was released on bail from Parappana Agrahara Central Prison in Bengaluru on Tuesday. Darshan, Pavithra Gowda, and 15 others were arrested on June 11 on charges of kidnapping and brutally murdering Renukaswamy, a fan from Chitradurga.

Renukaswamy had allegedly sent derogatory and obscene messages to Pavithra Gowda as he was miffed with the actor having a relationship with her despite being married.

Reacting to the bail granted to the Kannada superstar and others accused in a sensational fan murder case, victim Renukaswamy’s father, Kashinathaiah Shivanagoudar had said that he is confident that the bail granted to actor Darshan will be challenged in the Supreme Court.

Speaking to the media, Kashinathaiah Shivanagoudar said in Chitradurga: “I have full faith in the judicial system. I came to know about the bail granted to Darshan, Pavithra Gowda, and the other accused. I believe that after the court trial is completed, justice will prevail.”

“The accused may have been granted bail temporarily, but I trust the judicial system will ensure they receive the appropriate punishment.”

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

Darshan has sought interim bail on the grounds that he is experiencing numbness in both feet and needs to undergo surgery.

Here are 10 points in this big story:

A sessions court in Bengaluru on Monday rejected popular Kannada actor Darshan Thoogudeepa and his friend Pavithra Gowda’s bail petition in connection with the Renukaswamy murder case.

According to police sources, 33-year-old Renukaswamy, a fan of the actor, had sent obscene messages to Pavithra 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 in Bengaluru on June 9.

There was no direct involvement of Darshan in the case, nor was he present at the time of the murder, said the actor’s lawyer. However, the prosecution, while opposing the bail, argued that there is strong evidence in terms of technical and witness accounts against the actor.

In September, Bengaluru police submitted a comprehensive charge sheet containing 3,991 pages against 17 individuals involved in the case, which includes Darshan and Gowda.

Darshan is currently in Ballary jail, having been transferred there after photos of him hanging out with three others in the Parappana Agrahara Central jail emerged online in August, sparking row over alleged preferential treatment in jail. 

Bengaluru:

Sridhar, the manager of Kannada actor Darshan Thoogudeepa’s farmhouse in Bengaluru, died by suicide, police said. In a video message, the manager revealed that he was battling severe depression. 

In the video discovered on his phone, Sridhar requested authorities not to involve his family in any investigation into the case. 

The actor Darshan is embroiled in a high-profile murder case involving a fan named Renuka Swamy, a case that has garnered significant media attention. Darshan, along with actress Pavithra Gowda, rumoured to be his girlfriend, and more than 15 others, has been arrested in connection with Mr Swamy’s murder.

Mr Swamy was allegedly kidnapped from Karnataka’s Chitradurga and brought to Bengaluru, where he was reportedly tortured and ultimately killed. The investigation has uncovered gruesome details, including allegations that Darshan and his associates branded Mr Swamy with a hot metal rod and subjected him to electric shocks. These acts were allegedly carried out because Swamy had sent obscene messages to Pavithra Gowda.

The police have already recovered Rs 15 lakh, believed to be the proceeds of the crime. It has been reported that Darshan provided this money to his aides to admit their involvement in the murder for financial gain.