Renukaswamy murder case: Actor Darshan, Pavithra Gowda's bail pleas rejected

A lower court in Bengaluru on Monday rejected the bail applications of actor Darshan Thoogudeepa and his close friend Pavithra Gowda in the Renukaswamy murder case.

The Kannada actor moved court on September 21, two weeks after the Kamakshipalya police charged him, seeking bail in the case. Criminal Advocate CV Nagesh submitted the plea before the 57th CCH Court, representing Darshan. 

Four more accused in the case—Pavithra Gowda, Ravishankar, Nagaraj, Lakshman, and Deepak—also submitted their bail applications through their advocates at the same court. All are charged with the murder of a Chitradurga man called Renukaswamy and are currently lodged in Ballari prison. 

Judge Jaishankar of the 57th CCH Court heard the arguments from both sides in multiple sessions and had posted the verdict for Monday. The judge pronounced the verdict and rejected the bail applications of Pavithra Gowda, Ravishankar, Nagaraj, and Lakshman while granting bail to Deepak. 

All their applications were objected to by P Prasanna Kumar, Special Public Prosecutor (SPP), who is representing the police. 

CV Nagesh presented a slew of reasons for granting bail, including delay in recording witness statements, delay in inquest and postmortem, aspersions on the accused, and doubtful recoveries. However, the SPP refuted CV Nagesh’s points and objected to the bail.

Kumar put forth a strong point and said the deceased was brutally murdered, and the postmortem report speaks about the brutality. 

Considering Kumar’s arguments, the court rejected the bail pleas of five of the six applicants.