The 57th CCH Court in Bengaluru on Monday, October 14, dismissed the bail application of actors Darshan Thoogudeepa and Pavithra Gowda, the main accused in Renukaswamy’s murder. The accused had filed for bail three weeks earlier. 

Senior advocate CV Nagesh appeared for Darshan while Tommy Sebastian represented Pavithra Gowda.

Darshan and Pavithra have been in prison since June 11 for the alleged torture and murder of one Renukaswamy. While Darshan was initially lodged in Bengaluru Central Prison, he was later moved to Ballari after photos of him smoking cigarettes and drinking coffee in jail went viral on social media. Meanwhile Pavithra Gowda is jailed in Bengaluru Central Prison. 

Earlier, on September 4, a 3,991-page charge sheet was submitted to the 24th Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate’s (ACMM) court. The charge sheet provides graphic details of how Darshan and others attacked Renukaswamy, leading to his death.

On June 9, Renukaswamy was abducted from Chitradurga and brought to Bengaluru, where he was confined in a shed at Pattanagere and brutally assaulted by Darshan and his associates. After the victim was murdered,  his body was dumped in a drain at Sumanahalli. In connection with this case, 17 people, including Darshan and his Pavithra, had been arrested. Among these 17, bail had already been granted to three of the accused