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Darshan’s wife questioned in Renukaswamy murder case
The custody of Darshan and the other accused will end on Thursday, when they will be produced before court
Vijayalakshmi, wife of Kannada actor Darshan accused in the murder of Renukaswamy, recorded her statement on Wednesday after she was summoned following the recovery of shoes that her husband was allegedly wearing during the crime, from her flat.
This was also the first time that Vijayalakshmi visited the Annapoorneshwari Nagar police station, where all the accused in the case is being lodged, and met her husband for the first time since his arrest, according to police officers familiar with the matter.
One of the officers said that Vijayalakshmi also recorded her statement in the case on Wednesday. She was summoned by the police as they had recovered the shoes the actor was allegedly wearing during the crime from her flat. After the actor’s arrest, when the police went to his house for a mahazar, they found the clothes he was wearing but not his shoes. His costume manager had shifted them to his wife Vijaylakshmi’s house, from where it was recovered, the officer said.
The police have collected DNA samples of the nine accused, including Darshan, Pavithra Gowda, and others who were present at the shed, the scene of the crime, to match with samples collected.
Police said that Darshan has confessed to giving ₹30 lakh to co-accused Pradosh for the disposal of Renukaswamy’s body and to ensure his own name remained out of the investigation.
The police recovered the substantial amount from Pradosh’s residence, shedding new light on the case’s financial transactions and the lengths taken to cover up the crime.
“Darshan has stated that the money was intended for the disposal of the body and other expenditures related to the crime, including paying those who would carry out the task, ensuring that his involvement remained hidden,” a police officer said.
The remand report filed by the police includes confessions from the accused about the methods used to torture Renukaswamy. The weapons reportedly used in the attack included a lathi, a broken tree branch, and a water bottle. Bloodstains collected from the crime scene further corroborate these details, the officer said.
Nagaraj, another accused (A11), was responsible for transporting Renukaswamy’s body using a Scorpio car. This vehicle has been seized by the authorities, and forensic analysis revealed bloodstains on the backseat. This evidence is crucial in piecing together the events following the murder.
Meanwhile, the custody of Darshan and the other accused will end on Thursday, and they will be produced before the court. The police are unlikely to seek an extension of their custody, an officer familiar with the matter said.
Amid reports that a few MLAs and Ministers were putting pressure on the chief minister to change special public prosecutor Prasanna Kumar in the Renukaswamy murder case, Siddaramaiah denied these reports as “false and baseless”.
“No MLA or Minister has put any pressure on me in Darshan’s case, not just on the choice of the Special Public Prosecutor. Even if they try, I am not someone who will heed to any such pressure. The police have been given a complete free hand and they are investigating the case as they deem right. Suitable action will be taken as per law,” he said.
