Judicial custody of actor Darshan and co-accused extended till Aug 28

Bengaluru, Aug 14 (PTI) A court here on Wednesday extended till August 28 the judicial custody of Kannada actor Darshan Thoogudeepa along with his friend Pavithra Gowda and others, who are accused in the Renukaswamy murder case.

All the 17 accused, including Darshan and Pavithra, were produced before the magistrate through video conferencing from Bengaluru and Tumakuru prisons, where they are lodged, as their judicial custody ended today.

The extension of judicial custody follows a remand application filed by the Kamakshipalya Police, who have requested more time to continue their investigation.

Authorities claim that substantial evidence ties all the accused to the crime, and that ongoing investigations are scrutinising their involvement. Key scientific evidence collected from the crime scene has been sent to the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL), but the final reports are still pending. The case has expanded, with additional charges and cases under investigation, necessitating further judicial supervision.

There are also concerns about potential threats or coercion directed at the family of the deceased, which could undermine the integrity of the case. The investigation is expected to be bolstered by additional FSL reports and further input from the Central Forensic Science Laboratory (CFSL), which is analysing technical evidence, officials said.

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 his murder. His body was found near a stormwater drain next to an apartment in Sumanahalli here on June 9.

Raghavendra, one of the accused who is part of Darshan's fan club in Chitradurga, had brought Renukaswamy to a shed in R R Nagar here, on the pretext that the actor wanted to meet him. It was in this shed that he was allegedly tortured and murdered.

According to the post-mortem report, Renukaswamy, a native of Chitradurga, died due to shock and haemorrhage as a result of multiple blunt injuries.

Police sources said Pavithra, who is accused number one, was the "major cause" for Renukaswamy’s murder, claiming that it has been proved from the probe that she instigated other accused, conspired with them, and took part in the crime. PTI