The Supreme Court on Thursday cancelled the bail granted to Kannada actor Darshan in the high-profile Renukaswamy murder case.
A bench comprising Justices J. B. Pardiwala and R. Mahadevan overturned the Karnataka High Court’s December 13, 2024 order, ruling that it suffered from “serious infirmities” and appeared to be a “mechanical exercise” conducted at a pre-trial stage.
“The trial court is the appropriate forum to assess such matters. The well-founded allegations, supported by forensic evidence, justify the cancellation of bail,” the bench stated.
The ruling came in response to an appeal by the Karnataka government challenging the High Court’s decision to grant bail to Darshan and his co-accused, including actress Pavithra Gowda.
Darshan, Gowda, and several others stand accused of abducting and torturing 33-year-old fan Renukaswamy, who allegedly sent obscene messages to Gowda. According to police, the victim was held in a shed in Bengaluru for three days in June 2024 before being killed, with his body later recovered from a drain.
The Supreme Court had earlier, on January 24, issued notices to the accused following the state government’s plea.
