Actor Darshan’s bail plea in fan murder case adjourned to Oct 8 (Lead)

Bengaluru : A court here on Saturday adjourned the hearing into the bail plea of Kannada superstar Darshan – jailed in connection with the sensational fan murder case – to October 8 (Tuesday).

The court also adjourned the bail petition of Darshan’s partner Pavithra Gowda to Tuesday.

Senior counsel C.V. Nagesh completed his submission to the court. The court will hear counter-arguments from the Special Public Prosecutor Prasanna Kumar and arguments from counsels of other accused persons on that day.

Continuing his submission, counsel Nagesh submitted to the court that the content mentioned in the chargesheet by the police against Darshan is a “drama”. “It is indeed a great drama. To fix Darshan, the police have woven an imaginary story.”

“There is no evidence to prove the kidnap and murder. The victim Renukaswamy had food with the accused persons,” he stated.

The watchman of the shed where Renukaswamy was hacked to death is mentioned as the main eyewitness. The police have not recorded the statement of the eye witness after the delay of five days. The witness has only stated that he had seen the black car coming and going out. There are instances of the accused getting bail for a delay of three days in recording the statements of eyewitnesses, he submitted.

The statements of eyewitnesses are required to be recorded immediately. The police have the habit of recording statements at midnight. The remand application by the police submitted to the court on June 16 there is no mention of eyewitnesses and evidence, counsel Nagesh stated.

Counsel Nagesh further stated that Rs 37.5 lakh cash seized from Darshan’s residence is alleged to have been given to hush up the murder case. It was the money given by one Mohan Raj on May 2. On this date, it was not known who Renukaswamy was. On June 18, the cash was seized by the police. This money was returned from Mohan Raj to Darshan over the production of the music album.

The inquest of the dead body of Renukaswamy was held until June 11. As per the Cr PC 174, the dead body bearing grievous injuries needs to be completed with inquest procedures without any delay. The police had waited for three days and claimed that the body was not identified, counsel Nagesh submitted.

The police have recorded two statements from Darshan which do not match with each other. The Supreme Court Chief Justice has stated that the High Courts and Sessions Court should not hesitate to grant bail, he stated and rested his case.

The 3,991-page charge sheet, submitted to the 24th Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate's (ACMM) 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.

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. Among 17, the court has granted bail to three of the accused following which they have been released from the prison.