Upset over bail to Darshan, Karnataka to move Supreme Court

The Karnataka government will challenge the bail given by the High Court to actor DarshanThoogudeepa and his associates accused of murdering a man who sent an obscene message to actress Pavithra Gowda.

The Home Department has told officials to file a Special Leave Petition (SLP) in the Supreme Court. Senior advocates Anil C Nishani and Siddharth Luthra will represent the State.

The petition is expected to be filed in two to three days, official sources in Bengaluru said.

Also Read: Darshan's arrest: Future of 14 films at stake; producers in a fix

Police want bail revoked

Two weeks ago, Bengaluru Police Commissioner B Dayananda had said that the police would recommend an appeal to the state government to revoke the bail.

This followed the bail granted on December 13 by the Karnataka High Court to all the accused.

Kannada actor Darshan, 47, was arrested on June 11 in connection with the murder of Renukaswamy, 33, whose body was discovered near a stormwater drain in Bengaluru two days earlier.

The murder

Investigations revealed that Renukaswamy allegedly sent obscene messages to Darshan’s friend and actress Pavithra Gowda. She alerted Darshan, eventually leading to the horrific crime.

According to the police, Renukaswamy was lured to a shed on the pretext of meeting Darshan. There, he was tortured and killed. The body bore multiple blunt injuries.

The police have accused Pavithra Gowda of playing a key role in instigating and conspiring with the other accused in the crime.

Darshan’s spine surgery

Darshan, who had earlier secured interim bail for medical reasons, was released from the Ballari jail on October 30 to undergo spine surgery.

Subsequently, bail was also given to Pavithra Gowda and seven others. All of them have been released.