Actor Darshan walks out of jail after getting interim bail in Renukaswamy murder case
Actor Darshan was granted interim bail by the Karnataka High Court on medical grounds.
Actor Darshan on Wednesday was released from the central jail in Karnataka's Ballari after he was granted an interim bail by the Karnataka High Court in the Renukaswamy murder case.
Darshan, along with actress Pavithra Gowda, have been booked under charges related to the kidnapping and murder of 33-year-old Renukaswamy.
Earlier today, a single-judge Justice S Vishwajith Shetty allowed the interim bail application filed by Darshan Thoogudeepa to enable him to undergo a surgery.
Justice S Vishwajith Shetty had reserved the order on Tuesday on the interim bail application after hearing detailed arguments from the actor’s legal representative, senior advocate CV Nagesh, and state public prosecutor P Prasanna Kumar.
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The state presented medical reports in a sealed cover from doctors at Ballari Central Prison, where Darshan Thoogudeepa is lodged, and the head of the department of neurology at a government hospital in Ballari.
Darshan's lawyer has claimed that the actor is experiencing numbness in both feet and requested permission for his surgery to be performed at a private hospital in Mysuru.
His bail plea was opposed by the prosecutor, who said that the medical documents lacked specifics on how many days Darshan would need to be hospitalised. He also argued that the surgery could be performed at a government hospital.
Ahead of his release, Darshan’s wife, Vijayalakshmi, performed a special prayer at Durgamma temple in the district headquarters town of Ballari, reported PTI.
The Renukaswamy murder case
The murder case revolves around the alleged abduction of Renukaswamy, a resident of Chitradurga. According to authorities, he was detained and tortured in a shed at Pattanagere, where he endured severe physical abuse before his body was found dumped in a drain at Sumanahalli.
On September 4, the investigative team submitted a 3,991-page charge sheet to the 24th additional chief metropolitan magistrate’s court. The document provides detailed descriptions of the assault, indicating that Renukaswamy was subjected to electric shocks and died due to shock and haemorrhage. Investigators also disclosed that Renukaswamy had used a fake Instagram profile under the alias “Gowtham” to engage with Pavithra Gowda, allegedly triggering the violent events.
The prosecution alleged that Darshan and his associates targeted Renukaswamy in response to derogatory messages he sent to Gowda, who has been in a long-term relationship with Darshan.
The actors, along with 15 others, were taken into custody on June 11. So far, three of the 17 accused have been granted bail.