Court rejects bail plea of Darshan in murder case

Bengaluru, NT Bureau: A sessions court here on Monday denied the bail petitions of Kannada actor Darshan Thoogudeepa and his friend Pavithra Gowda in connection with the murder of 33-year-old Renukaswamy, a fan of the actor. Renukaswamy was abducted from his hometown Chitradurga and tortured to death allegedly by Darshan and his gang members. The victim had allegedly sent obscene messages to the prime accused of the case and the actor's friend Pavithra Gowda, which enraged the actor.

This alleged provocation is said to have led to Renukaswamy's murder. His body was discovered near a stormwater drain close to an apartment complex in Sumanahalli, Bengaluru, on June 9. In September, the Bengaluru police filed a comprehensive 3,991-page charge sheet implicating 17 people, including Darshan and Gowda, in the case.