Three men held for threatening key witness in Renukswamy murder case

Bengaluru, 

Three men were arrested for allegedly threatening a key witness in the 2024 Renukswamy murder case, involving Kannada actor Darshan to stop him from testifying before the court, police said on Thursday. The accused were identified as Puneeth, who managed a fan page related to the actor, while it is being verified if the other two accused - Suhas and Venu - were members of the Darshan Fans' Association in Tumakuru, they said.

The trio, arrested on Wednesday, claimed to be fans of Darshan, allegedly intimidated the prosecution witness, who hails from Chitradurga, police said. According to police, the matter came to light after the witness told the judge in court that he was being threatened and pressured not to testify against the actor, following which the court directed police to provide him with security.

A case has been registered against the accused in this regard at Kamakshipalya police station, police said, adding that all three accused have been taken into police custody. Darshan, along with actress Pavithra Gowda and several others, is accused of abducting and torturing 33-year-old Renukaswamy, a fan who allegedly sent obscene messages to Pavithra. According to police, the victim was held in a shed in Bengaluru for three days in June 2024 and tortured. His body was recovered from a drain. Actor Darshan is currently jailed at the Parappana Agrahara Central Prison.