BENGALURU: The Karnataka High Court on Monday granted bail to Keshavamurthy, one of the accused in the Renukaswamy murder case.
The High Court bench of Justice Vishwajit Shetty granted bail.
Meanwhile, the Sessions Court here today granted bail to two others accused in the case, Nikhil Naik and Karthik.
On the other hand, the 57th Magistrate Court, Bengaluru, adjourned the hearing for the bail petition of Kannada actor Darshan Thoogudeepa till September 27 and his friend and another accused Pavithra Gowda's till September 25.
Darshan filed a bail application on Saturday, September 21.
All the 17 accused in the murder case, including actor Darshan Thoogudeepa along with his friend Pavithra, are currently in judicial custody, and are lodged in various prisons across the state.
Police on September 4 had submitted to the court a 3,991-page preliminary charge sheet in the case.
Karthik (accused number - A 15), Keshavamurthy (A 16) and Nikhil Naik (A 17) are lodged in Tumakuru prison.
According to police sources, 33-year-old Renukaswamy, a fan of the actor, had sent obscene messages to Pavithra, which enraged Darshan, allegedly leading to his murder.
His body was found near a stormwater drain next to an apartment in Sumanahalli here on June 9.
Raghavendra, one of the accused who is part of Darshan's fan club in Chitradurga, had brought Renukaswamy to a shed in R R Nagar here, on the pretext that the actor wanted to meet him.
It was in this shed that he was allegedly tortured and murdered.
According to the post-mortem report, Renukaswamy, a native of Chitradurga, died due to shock and haemorrhage as a result of multiple blunt injuries.
Police sources said Pavithra, who is accused number one, was the "major cause" for Renukaswamy's murder, claiming that it has been proved from the probe that she instigated other accused, conspired with them, and took part in the crime.
Earlier, actor Darshan was shifted to Bellary Jail after his purported photograph of hanging out with three others, including a rowdy-sheeter, in the lawns of Parappana Agrahara Central Jail in Karnataka went viral.
Karnataka Revenue Minister Krishna Byre Gowda responded to the matter. "If this person is being given extra privileges, it is wrong. Officers who have facilitated such privileges should be held accountable, and action should be taken against them," he said.
The Karnataka government earlier suspended seven prison officials after a purported picture of Darshan from the jail circulated online. In the image, the actor was seen holding a cup in his right hand and a cigarette in the other.
(With inputs from PTI and ANI)
