Renukaswamy murder case: Karnataka High Court allows Darshan to travel within country

Bengaluru: In a relief to actor Darshan Thoogudeepa, accused in the Renukaswamy murder case, the Karnataka High Court has modified his bail conditions and permitted the actor to travel across India.

Justice S Vishwajith Shetty has passed this order in the Interlocutory Application (IA) filed by the actor in his bail petition, which was disposed of on December 13, 2024.

“Interlocutory application seeking relaxation of condition No (e) imposed by this court while disposing of this criminal petition on December 13, 2024 is partly allowed. Condition No (e) is modified to the extent it relates to the petitioner which shall read as follows - 'Petitioner shall seek the permission of the Trial Court, whenever he is required to travel abroad for any reason and without obtaining the leave of the Trial Court, he shall not leave the country."

While granting bail on December 13, 2024, the High Court had stated that the petitioners shall not leave the jurisdiction of the trial court without permission of the said court until the case registered against them is disposed of.

Moving the IA, the counsel for Darshan submitted that petitioner is an actor by profession and is a permanent resident of Mysuru. It was submitted that he is required to travel every now and then outside Bengaluru for professional reasons and also for health reasons. The condition imposed by the High Court has been causing unnecessary hardship to the petitioner and on every such occasion, it is difficult for him to seek permission of the trial court, it was submitted.

Renukaswamy, who was working in a medical shop in Chitradurga, was found dead in Kamakshipalya police station limits on June 9, 2024. The prosecution case is that Renukaswamy was kidnapped on the instructions of Darshan and his friend actor Pavithra Gowda. He was allegedly assaulted at a shed at Pattanagere in Rajarajeshwarinagar and the body was disposed of on the roadside next to a drain in Kamakshipalya police limits. The police had filed the charge against 17 accused persons for offences under IPC sections 120B, 364, 384, 355, 302, 201, 143, 147, 148, 149 and 34.