SC frowns upon HC granting bail to actor Darshan in murder case

NT Correspondent

Bengaluru:The Supreme Court on Thursday expressed its reservation over the Karna taka High Court's decision to grant bail to Kannada actor Darshan Thoogudee pa in the Renukaswamy murder case. A bench of Justices J B Pardiwala and R Mahade van said it was “not at all convinced” by the manner in which the high court exercised its discretion.

The bench asked senior advocate Kapil Sibal, ap pearing for the actor, to give "good reasons" why it should not interfere with bail order.

“To be very honest with you, we are not convinced with the manner in which the high court has exercised discretion. Very honestly, we will say this. We will hear you because your clients are on bail, they have come for cancellation of bail and you must have seen the manner in which the high court had dictated the order," Justice Pardiwa la told Sibal.

Sibal asked the bench to examine the statements of key witnesses recorded by the police and the judicial magistrate. On being asked as to which part of the high court's order was troubling the bench, Justice Pardi wala referred to the portion where the high court was looking for "how to release them (accused) on bail."

"You need to convince us that there is no good reason for this court to inter fere," the bench said. The bench told senior advocate Siddharth Luthra, appearing for Karnataka, to inform about antecedents, if any, of the accused per sons on the next hearing on July 22.

The bench was hearing a plea filed by the state government challenging the high court's December 13, 2024 order granting bail to Darshan and other co accused. Darshan, along with ac tress Pavithra Gowda and several others, is accused of abducting and tortur ing 33-year-old Renukas wamy, a fan who allegedly sent obscene messages to Pavithra.

The police alleged the victim was held in a shed in Bengaluru for three days in June 2024, tortured and his body was recovered from a drain. The top court on January 24 is sued the notices to the actor, Pavithra Gowda, and others in the case on the plea of the state government. In the interim order, the bench refused to can cel the bail granted to them in the case. 

The top court then observed it wasn't "proper to stay the operation" of the bail order as it would amount to cancellation of bail, as prayed by the state. Darshan was arrested on June 11, 2024, for alleg edly killing his fan Renukas wamy on June 8 the same year after he reportedly sent obscene messages to Gowda.

The actor was ar rested and lodged at the Parappana Agrahara Jail in Bengaluru but when a photograph of him relax ing with some other jail in mates went viral, he was transferred to Ballari Central Jail. The state moved the top court against the bail on January 6.

The mortal remains of 33-year-old Renukaswamy, an autorickshaw driver, were discovered on June 9, 2024. He allegedly succumbed to injuries after being at tacked on the orders of Darshan, who reportedly urged his fans to accost and kidnap Renukaswamy for posting derogatory comments about Gowda.