Darshan case probe completed, says Bengaluru Police chief

Bengaluru Police Commissioner B. Dayananda said on Wednesday that the investigation into the sensational murder case of a fan involving Kannada superstar Darshan, his partner Pavithra Gowda and 15 others has been completed.

Speaking to the media earlier in the day, he stated, “We will submit the final report to the court today (Wednesday). The investigation has been conducted in all dimensions and the investigation officers have arrested all 17 accused persons in connection with the kidnap and murder case.”

All reports from the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) have been obtained and a few reports are pending from the Central Forensic Science Laboratory (CFSL), Hyderabad. The doctors, engineers and tehsildars are made as witnesses. Further investigation would be taken up under the Cr PC Section 174 in the case, he said.

Karnataka Police made an official statement on Wednesday confirming the submission of the charge sheet to the 24th Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (ACMM) against jailed Kannada superstar Darshan, his partner Pavithra Gowda and 15 others in the sensational fan murder case.

DCP West S. Girish, who monitored the investigation, stated that including three eyewitnesses, a list of 231 witnesses is mentioned in the charge sheet.

"In connection with the Renukaswamy murder case registered with Kamakshipalya police station in Bengaluru, 17 persons are arrested and the investigation officers are submitting the charge sheet regarding the collection of eyewitnesses, circumstantial, technical and scientific and other evidence against them,” DCP Girish stated.

The charge sheet contains 3,991 pages of seven volumes and 10 files. There are eight pieces of evidence submitted in the form of reports from the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) and Central Forensic Science Laboratory (CFSL), Hyderabad.

Ninety-seven witnesses have recorded their statements under Sections 161 and 164 of the Cr PC before the court. Among them 27 have recorded their statements under Section 164 of the CrPC, the DCP stated.

The eight other government officers, including the tehsildar, doctors, RTO and engineers, are named as witnesses. A total of 56 police officers are also named as witnesses in the charge sheet.

The investigation was conducted under the guidance of Bengaluru Police Commissioner B. Dayananda and Additional Police Commissioner (West) Satish Kumar. ACP (Vijayanagar sub-division) Chandan Kumar-led team had cracked the case, he stated.

“Further investigation would be taken up in the case and the evidence gathered would be submitted to the court under Section 173 (8) of the CrPC,” Girish stated.

The gruesome murder of Darshan's fan Renukaswamy took place on June 8 in Bengaluru. Renukaswamy was kidnapped from his hometown, Chitradurga, brought to Bengaluru, kept in a shed, and tortured to death.

After the murder, his body was thrown into a canal. The incident came to light after the security personnel of a private apartment building saw the body being dragged by a pack of dogs.