Darshan Gets Bail In Renuka Swamy Murder Case

The Karnataka High Court on Wednesday granted bail to Kannada actor Darshan in Renuka Swamy murder case.

Single-judge Justice S Vishwajith Shetty has granted six-week interim bail to undergo surgery. The court had reserved the order on Tuesday over the interim bail application after hearing arguments from Darshan's counsel, senior advocate CV Nagesh, and State Public Prosecutor P Prasanna Kumar.

The State presented sealed medical reports from doctors at Ballari Central Prison, where Darshan is currently lodged, along with documentation from the Head of Neurology at a government hospital in Ballari. His lawyer argued that the actor is experiencing numbness in both feet, requesting permission for his surgery to be conducted at a private hospital in Mysuru, with the actor agreeing to bear all associated costs.

The Prosecutor opposed the interim bail request, who argued that the medical documents lacked specifics about how long Darshan would need hospitalization. Kumar also stated that the surgery could be done at a government facility.

Referring to Supreme Court precedents highlighted by Nagesh, the court noted that the State cannot dictate where an undertrial should receive medical treatment.

However, Justice Shetty questioned the choice of Mysuru for the surgery, stating, "Why Mysuru? Let a doctor in Bengaluru assess the urgency and duration of the surgery. Interim bail is time-bound, and we need to know the likely length of hospitalization."

Nagesh reiterated his preference for the Mysuru facility, while Kumar suggested a health evaluation by a state-appointed medical board. Darshan, who was arrested on June 11, submitted a bail application on September 21, which was rejected by a sessions court, leading him to approach the High Court for interim bail to undergo treatment.

According to police, 33-year-old Renukaswamy, a fan of Darshan, had sent obscene messages to Pavithra Gowda, a co-accused in the case, which allegedly enraged Darshan and led to Renukaswamy's murder. His body was discovered near a stormwater drain in Sumanahalli on June 9.

Police investigations revealed that Raghavendra, another accused and member of Darshan's fan club in Chitradurga, brought Renukaswamy to a shed in R.R. Nagar under the pretense of arranging a meeting with the actor. Renukaswamy was allegedly tortured and murdered at the location, with a post-mortem report citing multiple blunt injuries that caused his death due to shock and haemorrhage.

The police have identified Pavithra as the primary instigator, alleging that she played a major role in conspiring with the other accused and participating in the crime.