Investigation points at plot to shield Darshan

Bengaluru: Investigators in the Renukaswamy murder case believe a conspiracy was hatched soon after the crime to save Kannada actor Darshan Thoogudeepa, DH has learnt.

The investigation team has gathered evidence and corroborated it with statements from suspects. Police suspect Pawan K (29), from Channapatna and said to be close to Darshan and Pavithra Gowda, played a key role in the conspiracy.

Soon after Renukaswamy died inside the shed in RR Nagar, a plot was hatched to select the scapegoats and dispose of the body, murder weapons, and the victim’s mobile phone. The money to be paid to them was also fixed, police sources said, adding that they had recovered Rs 30 lakh so far.

A source close to the investigation said that CCTV footage, cell phone dumps and statements by suspects confirm that Darshan and Pavithra were at a shed in RR Nagar between 12 am and 3.30 am on June 9. During this time, Renukaswamy was assaulted, allegedly by Darshan, Pavithra and others.

The Kamakshipalya police, who are investigating the murder, got a call on June 9 about a body near a stormwater drain in Sumanahalli. Technical evidence led the police to conclude it was Renukaswamy.

A few hours before that, Renukaswamy was allegedly confined inside the shed, beaten with wooden planks and sticks, tied up and even administered electric shocks. Investigators confirmed that a device used to administer shocks was recovered from the shed, but refused to divulge further details.

Raghavendra (43), from Chitradurga was chosen as the first scapegoat. He is the president of the Akhila Karnataka Darshan Thoogudeepa Sena, a fan club. The probe revealed that Raghavendra had ferried Renukaswamy in the car driven by another suspect, Ravi.
“They were sure that Raghavendra would keep his mouth shut. They promised to pay him later,” the source told DH.

Karthik alias Kappe and Keshavamurthy, (both 27) from Bengaluru’s Girinagar, and Nikhil Nayak (21), from Bannerghatta Main Road, were the other scapegoats. “They worked in menial jobs and had no prominent background,” the source quoted above said. “Hence, they were chosen. The three hadn’t met the actor before the crime.”

Police investigations had revealed that another suspect Deepak, 39, from RR Nagar, paid Keshavamurthy and Nayak Rs 5 lakh each “for their troubles”, while an agreement was reached to pay the kin of Karthik and Raghavendra after they went to jail.

Plot filled with holes

A senior policeman said that the suspects had been overconfident that their plan would work but the police were quick in identifying the subterfuge. According to the source, the improper disposal of Renukaswamy’s body led to a scanning of CCTV footage, which showed a Mahindra Scorpio and a Jeep at the crime scene.

“If the body had washed up somewhere far away in the drain, it would’ve been a challenge,” the source said. “Recovery of the body just a few hours after it was disposed of helped in quick identification.”

Around 7 pm, when the police were figuring out whose body it was and closing in on the suspected vehicles, the scapegoats entered the Kamakshipalya police station.

Raghavendra, Karthik, Keshavamurthy and Nikhil told the police that they had murdered Renukaswamy over Rs 2.5 lakh he had borrowed. However, the police were not convinced. When the four were questioned separately, their inconsistencies gave away that they were lying. When grilled further, they revealed the names of Darshan and others.

The source said that the suspects had managed to get rid of Renukaswamy’s mobile phone, a critical piece of evidence. It is necessary to check if he had sent objectionable messages to Pavithra Gowda, as claimed.

SIT formed to probe case. The police have set up an internal Special Investigation Team to investigate the murder of Renukaswamy.