Timeline India

Tag: Darshan

  • Renukaswamy Murder Case: Actor Darshan, Pavithra Gowda Arrested After Supreme Court Cancels Bail

    Bengaluru, August 14, 2025 – Following the Supreme Court’s decision to cancel the bail granted to Kannada actor Darshan Thoogudeepa, Pavithra Gowda, and other accused in the Renukaswamy murder case, Bengaluru police took both Darshan and Pavithra into custody on August 14, 2025. Pavithra Gowda was arrested by Annapoorneshwari Nagar police in the afternoon, while Darshan was apprehended near an apartment in Hosakerehalli, Bengaluru. Arrangements are being made to bring Darshan to the Annapoorneshwari Nagar Police Station.

    The Supreme Court bench, comprising Justices J.B. Pardiwala and R. Mahadevan, overturned the Karnataka High Court’s bail order of December 13, 2024, criticizing it as riddled with “serious infirmities” and resembling a pre-trial acquittal. The court emphasized that “all are equal before the law” and cancelled the bail due to the potential risk of the accused influencing witnesses and derailing justice. The bench ordered immediate arrests and directed the trial to proceed expeditiously.

    The Renukaswamy murder case came to light on June 9, 2024, when the body of 33-year-old Renukaswamy from Chitradurga was found near a stormwater drain in Sumanahalli, Bengaluru. Police allege that Renukaswamy was abducted, tortured, and killed for sending obscene messages to Pavithra Gowda, a close associate of Darshan. In September 2024, Bengaluru police filed a 3,991-page chargesheet, naming Pavithra Gowda as accused number one and Darshan as accused number two, along with 15 others. The investigation revealed that the victim was held in a shed for three days before his death.

  • Renukaswamy Murder Case: Supreme Court Cancels Bail of Actor Darshan, Pavithra Gowda, and Other Accused

    New Delhi, August 14, 2025: The Supreme Court, in a significant ruling, set aside the Karnataka High Court’s order granting bail to Kannada actor Darshan Thoogudeepa, actress Pavithra Gowda, and five other accused in the Renukaswamy murder case. The bench, comprising Justices J.B. Pardiwala and R. Mahadevan, delivered the verdict on an appeal filed by the Karnataka government challenging the High Court’s December 13, 2024, bail order. The court cited the risk of witness tampering and the seriousness of the crime as key reasons for the cancellation.

    The case pertains to the brutal murder of 33-year-old Renukaswamy from Chitradurga, who was allegedly abducted, tortured, and killed in Bengaluru on June 8, 2024, after sending inappropriate messages to Pavithra Gowda. His body was found near a stormwater drain on June 9, 2024. Darshan was arrested on June 11, 2024, along with Pavithra Gowda and others. The Bengaluru police filed a 3,991-page charge sheet in September 2024, naming Pavithra as accused number one and Darshan as accused number two.

    During hearings, the Supreme Court criticized the Karnataka High Court’s bail order as a “perverse exercise of discretionary power,” noting that it appeared akin to a pre-trial acquittal without due consideration of the case’s gravity, forensic evidence, and witness statements. The bench emphasized that the High Court failed to apply judicial discretion appropriately, especially given the serious allegations and potential for evidence tampering.

    On July 24, 2025, the court directed both sides to submit written arguments within a week, which were reviewed before the verdict was reserved. The Supreme Court’s ruling on August 14, 2025, also included a stern warning against providing special treatment to the accused in custody, stating that any “five-star treatment” would lead to the suspension of jail officials.

    The verdict reinforces the principle that no one is above the law, with the court underscoring the need to maintain the rule of law in such grave cases. The accused have been ordered to be taken into custody immediately, and the trial court is deemed the appropriate forum for further proceedings.

    Supreme Court Cancels Bail of Actor Darshan, Pavithra Gowda, and Other Accused | File Photo