Fan murder case: Hearing on Kannada superstar Darshan's bail plea adjourned to Oct 9

Bengaluru: A court here on Tuesday adjourned the hearing into the bail plea of Kannada superstar Darshan – jailed in connection with the sensational fan murder case – to October 9 (Wednesday).

Special Public Prosecutor Prasanna Kumar presented his arguments against the submissions made in favour of Darshan by highlighting the lapses of the police in handling the case.

Referring to the alleged lapses by the police, Prasanna Kumar submitted that there are sufficient answers to all points raised in this regard.

Further, Prasanna Kumar, reacting to the jibes by the counsel that the chargesheet against Darshan is a "drama", charges against him resembled "Arabian Nights" stories, said that the case is Darshan's "Rakth Charitra".

Referring to the submission that Renukaswamy was unknown to Darshan and his associates before the murder, Prasanna Kumar submitted to the court that the associates of Darshan were in touch with Renukaswamy much earlier. They had followed him and chatted with him.

The chat history shows a reply by the accused to Renukaswamy's photo of his private part. The accused exchanged chats and photos of Renukaswamy before his murder, Prasanna Kumar said.

Countering the delay in recording the statements of eyewitnesses, the SPP submitted that the accounts of eyewitnesses describe the crime and brutality unleashed against Renukaswamy and the police took due time to record them.

Senior counsel Sandeep Chowta submitted his arguments for eleventh accused Nagaraju and twelfth accused Laxman.

Sandeep Chowta has stated that the incident has been projected as if no such other incident had ever occurred.

He said that the sensationalisation is made not on the basis of the incident but on the basis of the individual. "The cases involving politicians and actors are sensationalised. Undue scope is given to the matter of providing home food in this case," he said.

After the photos of the prison became viral, the prisoners were shifted and three FIRs were lodged.

"Biased actions were taken against the accused," Chowta said.

Renukaswamy was abducted from Chitradurga and brought to Bengaluru, where he was confined in a shed at Pattanagere and brutally assaulted.

Renukaswamy was murdered, and his body was dumped in a drain at Sumanahalli. In connection with this case, 17 people, including Darshan and his partner Pavithra Gowda, were arrested on June 11.

The 3,991-page charge sheet, submitted to the 24th Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate's court on September 4, has provided graphic details on how Darshan attacked Renukaswamy who was allegedly kidnapped and kept in captivity by the actor's associates, leading to his death.

The charge sheet also claimed that Renukaswamy chatted with Pavithra Gowda by creating a fake ID on Instagram under the name of Gowtham.