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Court to hear Darshan’s bail plea tomorrow, 3 aides freed
Three associates of Kannada actor Darshan Thoogudeepa accused in the Renukaswamy murder case received bail on Monday.
Three associates of Kannada actor Darshan Thoogudeepa accused in the Renukaswamy murder case received bail on Monday.
Along with that, Darshan’s plea for bail was adjourned till September 25 by a Bengaluru court.
Keshavamurthy, one of the accused, received bail from the Karnataka high court in an order passed by justice Vishwajit Shetty. Earlier in the day, the other two accused –– Nikhil Naik and Karthik –– were granted bail by a sessions court.
The murder of 33-year-old Renukaswamy drew significant public attention due to the involvement of Darshan. The actor along with his friend Pavithra Gowda and 15 others have been accused of orchestrating Renukaswamy’s murder. According to police, the murder was triggered by obscene messages allegedly sent by the actor’s fan to Gowda.
The Kamakshipalya police in Bengaluru, who have been investigating the case, allege that Darshan played a central role in orchestrating the murder. Renukaswamy was reportedly lured to a farmhouse under the pretext of a meeting with Darshan, where he was tortured and murdered. It is believed that Darshan, angered by the offensive messages, orchestrated the crime as an act of revenge.
Darshan, Pavithra, and the other accused have been in custody since June. On September 4, the Kamakshipalya police filed a 3,991-page charge sheet against them. After spending over 100 days in custody, Darshan’s legal team filed a fresh bail application with the 57th Additional City Civil and Sessions Court in Bengaluru. The court adjourned the hearing of his plea till September 25.
The case gained even more attention in August when Darshan was transferred from Bengaluru’s Parappana Agrahara Prison to Ballari Prison. This move followed a viral video on social media, which allegedly showed the actor smoking cigarettes in jail premises.
