SC refuses to cancel bail of actor Darshan, others in murder case

The Supreme Court on Friday refused to cancel the bail granted to Kannada actors Darshan Thoogudeepa, Pavithra Gowda, and five others in the Renukaswamy murder case but agreed to examine the Karnataka government's challenge.

A bench of Justices J B Pardiwala and R Mahadevan issued notice to Darshan and others on the state's plea against the Karnataka High Court's bail order.

The state government, the apex court said, apprehended other co-accused would be allowed to take advantage of order passed by the high court in the impugned order.

"Since state is praying for cancellation of bail, it would not be proper to stay the operation of the order as it would amount to cancellation of bail. Yet, to protect the interest of prosecution, if any co-accused prays on bail, the court concerned shall not place reliance on the order challenged before us. Any bail application filed shall be decided on its own merit," the bench said.

The Karnataka High Court on December 13, 2024, granted bail to the actor Darshan and others.

Darshan was arrested on June 11, 2024, for allegedly killing his fan Renukaswamy on June 8 the same year after he reportedly sent obscene messages to Gowda.

Before the grant of bail, the actor was lodged at the Parappana Agrahara Jail in Bengaluru but when a photograph of him relaxing with some other jail inmates went viral, he was transferred to Ballari Central Jail.

The state moved the top court against the grant of 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 attacked on the orders of Darshan, who reportedly urged his fans to accost and kidnap Renukaswamy for posting derogatory comments about Gowda on social media.

The Karnataka High Court granted Darshan interim bail on medical grounds for six weeks on October 30, 2024 but gave regular bail to him and others in December.