The Karnataka High Court granted Darshan an interim bail on medical grounds for six weeks on October 30, 2024 but granted regular bail in December 2024.
| Photo Credit: The Hindu
The Supreme Court on Thursday (July 17, 2025) expressed its reservation over the Karnataka High Court’s decision to grant bail to Kannada actor Darshan Thoogudeepa in the Renukaswamy murder case.
A Bench of Justices J.B. Pardiwala and R. Mahadevan said it was “not at all convinced” by the manner in which the High Court exercised its discretion.
The Bench asked senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for the actor, to give “good reasons” why it should not interfere with bail order.
“To be very honest with you, we are not convinced with the manner in which the high court has exercised discretion. Very honestly, we will say this. We will hear you because your clients are on bail; they have come for cancellation of bail and you must have seen the manner in which the high court had dictated the order,” Justice Pardiwala told Mr. Sibal.
Mr. Sibal asked the Bench to examine the statements of key witnesses recorded by the police and the judicial magistrate.
On being asked as to which part of the High Court’s order was troubling the bench, Justice Pardiwala referred to the portion where the High Court was looking for “how to release them (accused) on bail”.
“You need to convince us that there is no good reason for this court to interfere,” the Bench said.
The Bench told senior advocate Siddharth Luthra, appearing for Karnataka, to inform about antecedents, if any, of the accused persons on the next hearing on July 22.
The Bench was hearing a plea filed by the state government challenging the High Court’s December 13, 2024 order granting bail to Darshan and other co-accused.
Darshan, along with actress Pavithra Gowda and several others, is accused of abducting and torturing 33-year-old Renukaswamy, a fan who allegedly sent obscene messages to Pavithra.
The police alleged the victim was held in a shed in Bengaluru for three days in June 2024, tortured and his body was recovered from a drain.
The top court on January 24 issued the notices to the actor, Pavithra Gowda, and others in the case on the plea of the state government.
In the interim order, the Bench refused to cancel the bail granted to them in the case.
The top court then observed it wasn’t “proper to stay the operation” of the bail order, as it would amount to cancellation of bail, as prayed by the State.
Darshan was arrested on June 11, 2024, for allegedly killing his fan Renukaswamy on June 8 the same year after he reportedly sent obscene messages to Gowda.
The actor was arrested and lodged at the Parappana Agrahara Jail in Bengaluru but when a photograph of him relaxing with some other jail inmates went viral, he was transferred to Ballari Central Jail.
The State moved to the top court against the bail on January 6, 2025.
The mortal remains of 33-year-old Renukaswamy, an autorickshaw driver, were discovered on June 9, 2024.
He allegedly succumbed to injuries after being attacked on the orders of Darshan, who reportedly urged his fans to accost and kidnap Renukaswamy for posting derogatory comments about Gowda on social media.
The Karnataka High Court granted Darshan an interim bail on medical grounds for six weeks on October 30, 2024 but granted regular bail in December 2024.
Published – July 17, 2025 05:09 pm IST
