BENGALURU: Following cancellation of bail by the Supreme Court, actor Darshan Thogudeepa was arrested in the Renukaswamy murder case around 4pm from his wife Vijayalakshmi’s flat on the 15th floor of Prestige South Ridge Apartments in Hosakerehalli.
Darshan, who had gone to a horse fair in Tamil Nadu on the Chamarajanagar border with his friends and a horseman, is said to have informed police that he would reach the city around 4.30pm from Tamil Nadu. He was at a friend’s farm in Madikeri on Wednesday night, and went to the fair in the early hours of Thursday.
Three police teams were tracking Darshan’s movements since noon. He came to the flat through the back gate. To avoid the media, Darshan, who was travelling in a red SUV from Tamil Nadu, changed the vehicle enroute. Police inspector Nagesh of Kamakshipalya police station and Subramanya of Govindarajanagar police station arrested Darshan and took him to Annapoorneshwari Nagar police station at 4.45pm.
Darshan’s fans had gathered near his apartment and Annapoorneshwari Nagar police station. Police had a tough time shifting the five accused to the judge’s residence as many fans started following the police vehicles. Dinakar Thoogudeepa, Darshan’s younger brother, was also seen at the police station and near the judge’s residence.
In the morning, Darshan’s nephew Chandan visited the former’s RR Nagar residence and reportedly took clothes and other daily needs in a suitcase.
While Pradoosh was the first to be arrested from Girinagar around 1pm, Pavithra Gowda was arrested from her RR Nagar residence around 2.40pm. Nagaraju was arrested from Darshan’s farmhouse on T Narasipura Road in Mysuru. Lakshman called police and surrendered on a highway in Mysuru. Jagadeesh visited Anu Kumar’s house in Mahaveer Nagar in Chitradurga, and both left on a bike at noon. They later called police and surrendered.
Background of accused
Jagadeesh and Anu Kumar were arrested on charges of kidnapping and bringing Renukaswamy from Chitradurga to Pattanagere shed
Pradoosh, a techie by profession, allegedly tried to tamper digital evidence and also played a key role in paying about Rs 30 lakhs to the other accused asking them to surrender
Nagaraju, personal manager of Darshan, and Lakshman, driver, accused of assaulting Renukaswamy and also shifting the body from shed to stormwater drain near Sumanahalli
Jagadeesh and Lakshman were at the Shivamogga jail, Darshan’s assistant Nagaraju in Kalaburagi prison, Pradoosh in Belagavi prison, Pavithra Gowda and Anu Kumar in Bengaluru Central Prison and Darshan was in Ballari prison till they got bail in the HC
RENUKASWAMY’S FAMILY WELCOMES SC decision
Chitradurga: Kashinathaiah, father of Renukaswamy went emotional on hearing the Supreme Court’s decision of cancelling the bail for actor Darshan. Both Kashinathaiah and his wife, Rathnaprabha said they believe in justice. Renukaswamy’s wife Sahana also said that who has done mistake should be punished.
TIMELINE
June 8, 2024: S Renukaswamy, 33, a chemist from Chitradurga, was allegedly kidnapped and murdered at a shed in Pattanagere in RR Nagar
June 9: Renukaswamy’s body found in a stormwater drain at Summanahalli
June 10: Three persons surrender before Kamakshipalya police. Cross questioning and thorough police interrogation of the trio pointed to Darshan and Pavithra Gowda’s involvement
June 11: Darshan, Pavithra and 10 others arrested. The remaining five arrested in next two days. Accused taken into police custody
June 22: Darshan remanded in judicial custody
August 25: Darshan’s pictures and a video of him getting preferential treatment inside Bengaluru Central Prison goes viral. Photographs of Darshan hanging out with notorious rowdy sheeters Wilson Garden Naga and Kulla Seena, along with his manager Sreenivas, on the lawns of the jail spark row
August 27: A city based court grants permission to shift Darshan to Ballari jail
August 29: Darshan and few other accused shifted to different jails
September 4: 3,991 page detailed chargesheet running into seven volumes against Darshan, Pavithra and 15 others submitted to court
October 30: High Court grants six-week interim bail to Darshan to get treatment for his back spasm
November 23: Police submit additional chargesheet of 1,300 pages to a local court
December 13: HC grants bail to Pavithra, Darshan, Pradoosh Rao, Jagadeesh, Anu Kumar, Lakshman and Nagaraju K
December 30: The state Home department grants approval to file a Special Leave Petition before Supreme Court
January 6, 2025: State files SLP before SC, challenging bail granted to Darshan, Pavithra and others
August 14: Supreme Court cancels bail to Darshan and Pavithra, and five others