BENGALURU: Pavithra Gowda and 12 other accused, who were remanded in judicial custody on Thursday in connection with the brutal murder of Renukaswamy of Chitradurga, were given Under Trial Prisoner (UTP) numbers by Bengaluru Central Jail officials in Parappana Agrahara.
The UTP numbers were given on Friday, with Pavithra getting UTP 6024. Among the 17 persons arrested in the case, including 47-year-old Darshan Thoogudeepa, Pavithra is the lone woman accused. She was kept in the women’s quarantine cell. Meanwhile, the other 11 accused are lodged in the quarantine cell for male prisoners. They underwent a routine medical checkup.
Pavithra, accused number 1, who ran Red Carpet boutique and led a lavish life in a posh house on Kenchanahalli Road in RR Nagar, found it difficult to spend the night in jail, and reportedly did not sleep. She reportedly awoke at 5am and went for a walk in the barracks.
Meanwhile, Darshan, D Dhanaraj alias Raju, V Vinay, both from RR Nagar, and S Pradosh, 40, from JP Road in Girinagar, are undergoing intense grilling by police. Their custody ends on Saturday, and it is unlikely they will be remanded in police custody again. All four accused were questioned separately. Police are trying to find the source of Rs 37 lakh that was recovered from Darshan’s residence, and Rs 3 lakh from his wife Vijayalakshmi’s flat on Outer Ring Road in Banashankari.
It is said that Darshan had taken monetary help from his friend to manage police and lawyers, and pay those who would surrender after disposing of the body. He allegedly gave the money to make sure his name did not come up in the case, and sought help from politicians and others to help him. Officers are finding out details of people whom Darshan was in touch with, post the murder.
Police are also in search of two mobile phones in the storm water drain. Renukaswamy’s mobile, which was reportedly thrown into the drain, contains crucial evidence. Accused Raghavendra, who kidnapped Renukaswamy from Chitradurga, is also said to have thrown his phone into the drain.
BBMP sends notice to Pattanagere Jayanna
BBMP’s Revenue department has sent a notice to Pattanagere Jayanna on whose plot of land in RR Nagar, S Renukaswamy was allegedly murdered last week. The land came to the department’s notice following the murder case. Revenue officials say the revenue inspector served notice to Jayanna personally, and sought documents related to the land from him. “The land is now in BBMP limits and whatever taxes are applicable from 2009, will be collected as per Palike rules,” said Arun Kumar, Assistant Revenue Officer, Kengeri Sub-Division, BBMP.