Daijiworld Media Network – Bengaluru
Bengaluru, Feb 25: In a significant twist in the Renukaswamy murder case involving actor Darshan, the counsel for the third accused, Pawan, has approached the court seeking to name Kamakshipalya police inspector Girish Naik as an accused for allegedly fabricating evidence.
The 57th Additional City Civil and Sessions Court resumed the hearing on Tuesday. Advocate Sudhanwa, representing Pawan, submitted a memo requesting a court directive to allow him entry into the Kamakshipalya police station for inspection.
The advocate argued that the police claim to have seized eight mobile phones from seven accused individuals at 1:00 am on June 11, 2024, at the Kamakshipalya station. He pointed out that the photos of the seizure show white vitrified tiles on the floor. However, Sudhanwa alleged that such tiles do not exist in the Kamakshipalya police station, implying that the mahazar (seizure process) did not take place there as claimed. He further stated that when he attempted to visit the station on Monday to verify this, the police denied him entry.
Arguing that a police station is a public space and entry cannot be restricted for such verification, the counsel demanded that the investigating officer, inspector Girish Naik, be made an accused for providing false evidence. He also requested that the judge personally visit the police station for an inspection.
The judge directed the police to preserve CCTV footage of the advocate's visit on Monday and instructed Sudhanwa to file an affidavit regarding the denial of entry.
Actor Darshan, who appeared via video conferencing, thanked the judge for the permission to install a television in his prison cell. He also requested the court to direct prison authorities to allow him to appear in person for hearings, remarking that it would allow him to have "home-cooked food for a day."
Darshan’s counsel also filed applications seeking daily hearings of the case and permission for family members to meet him in prison. Additionally, a petition was filed requesting the judge to visit the crime scene and to summon witnesses not named in the chargesheet. The court directed the Special Public Prosecutor (SPP) to file objections to these requests.
The court extended the judicial custody of Darshan, Pavithra Gowda, and five other accused until the next hearing. Summons were issued to the 17th and 18th court witnesses, and the case was adjourned to March 2.
Furthermore, the court directed the police to return the jewellery found on Renukaswamy’s body to his parents, with a condition that the ornaments must be preserved without any alterations and produced whenever required by the court.