Daijiworld Media Network – Bengaluru
Bengaluru, Oct 30: A Bengaluru court on Wednesday permitted Kannada film star Darshan Thoogudeepa, currently in jail in connection with the Renukaswamy murder case, to receive fresh clothes and bedding from his family once a month.
The Additional City Civil and Sessions Judge (CCH-57) also announced that charges will be framed on Friday, directing all accused to be present without fail.
Darshan, lodged at Bengaluru Central Prison, Parappana Agrahara, had filed an application seeking to be moved out of the quarantine cell and requesting additional facilities. He claimed that prison authorities had provided him with torn bedsheets (jamkhana) and bed covers (chaddar).
The court, however, granted limited relief, allowing only monthly supplies of fresh clothes, bedsheets and bed covers, in accordance with provisions for undertrial prisoners.
The actor had also submitted an Interlocutory Application under Section 91 of the CrPC, alleging that jail staff had “discriminated” against him and sought details of other inmates kept in quarantine since admission. The court dismissed this application, stating that authorities could decide on any movement out of quarantine based on security considerations.
Meanwhile, strengthening the prosecution, the court accepted a memo filed on October 24 by Special Public Prosecutor P Prasanna Kumar, noting that all accused, including Darshan, were not cooperating and deliberately delaying the trial.
All discharge applications were dismissed, and the court directed both parties to cooperate for the speedy disposal of the case.
Renukaswamy, a 33-year-old resident of Chitradurga, was found murdered near a stormwater drain in Sumanahalli, west Bengaluru, on June 9, 2024. His body had been badly mutilated.
Police arrested Darshan, his female friend Pavithra Gowda, and seven others two days later, with subsequent arrests following. Investigations suggested that the murder was allegedly linked to Renukaswamy’s ‘obscene’ messages to Pavithra on social media.
On September 3, 2024, police filed a 3,991-page charge sheet, naming Pavithra as accused 1 and Darshan as accused 2, detailing the brutality of the crime.