Karnataka High Court Reverses Bail for Actor Darshan Thoogudeepa
The Supreme Court of India has canceled the bail granted to prominent Kannada film actor Darshan Thoogudeepa, his girlfriend Pavithra Gowda, and five others in the Renukaswamy murder case. The Supreme Court's decision overturns an earlier order by the Karnataka High Court, which had initially granted them bail.
A bench comprising Justices J.B. Pardiwala and R. Mahadevan set aside the High Court's order, calling it a "mechanical exercise of power" that failed to adequately consider the gravity of the crime. The Supreme Court underscored the principle that no individual is above the law and expressed concerns that the accused's release on bail could potentially prejudice the ongoing trial and intimidate witnesses. The court also issued a stern warning against providing any preferential or "5-star" treatment to the accused while in custody.
The case revolves around the murder of S. Renukaswamy, a 33-year-old fan of Darshan. Renukaswamy was allegedly abducted, tortured, and killed after reportedly sending obscene messages to Pavithra Gowda. Darshan and the other co-accused were arrested in June 2024. The Karnataka High Court had granted Darshan bail on December 13, 2024, after he had been in custody for several months.
Following the Supreme Court's verdict, Bengaluru police have re-arrested Darshan and Pavithra Gowda. They will be presented before the trial court and remanded back to prison.
