The Supreme Court on Thursday revoked the bail granted to Kannada actor Darshan in the Renukaswamy murder case. A bench comprising Justices J B Pardiwala and R Mahadevan overturned the Karnataka High Court’s order, stating it had “various infirmities.” “We considered everything. The grant of bail as well as cancellation. It is evident that the high court order suffers from serious infirmities; instead, it reflects a mechanical exercise, and the high court undertook examination at the pre-trial stage,” the bench observed.
“The trial court is alone the appropriate forum. The well-founded allegations, coupled with forensic evidence, reinforce the cancellation of bail, The bail grant to the petitioner cancelled,” it added. The ruling came in response to an appeal filed by the Karnataka government challenging the High Court’s December 13, 2024, decision to grant bail to Darshan and his co-accused.
Darshan, actress Pavithra Gowda, and several others are accused of abducting and torturing 33-year-old Renukaswamy, a fan who allegedly sent obscene messages to Gowda. According to police, the victim was confined in a shed in Bengaluru for three days in June 2024, subjected to torture, and later found dead in a drain. The top court issued notices to the actor, Gowda, and others in the case against the state government’s plea in January 2024.
