Eyewitness alleges Darshan’s presence at scene of crime

NT Correspondent

Bengaluru

Explosive statements from a key eyewitness in the Renukaswamy murder case have revealed that actor Darshan and his gang were allegedly present at the scene of the crime. The witness, Puneeth, who reportedly saw the brutal attack on Renukaswamy of Chitradurga at the Pattanagere shed, was terrified after the incident and kept silent about what he had seen. On June 11, he confided in his friends about the murder and later travelled to Goa.

It was during this trip that the involvement of Darshan and his gang in the killing came to light. Puneeth, however, maintained that he had not participated in the crime, police sources said. After returning to Bengaluru and travelling through Kolar, Tirupati, and Hubli, Puneeth finally appeared before the investigating officer on June 20. He detailed the events of the murder, including the identities of those present at the shed. His statements were recorded before a magistrate under Section 164 of the IPC.

Investigators discovered that Renukaswamy had made 122 WhatsApp calls to Police Sub-Inspector Vinay on the night of his murder, and one of the accused, Pradush, had sent a photo of the body, sources said. While four of the accused have surrendered, Police Sub-Inspector Vinay stated that he was on leave from 6 to 17 June and was unaware of the details of the incident. The police are preparing to file an appeal to seek the cancellation of bail for the accused in the case.