Popular Kannada actor Darshan was arrested by the Kamakshipalya police from his farmhouse in Mysuru on Tuesday, June 11, for his alleged involvement in a murder case. After his arrest, he was taken to the Annapurneshwari police station in Bengaluru, where the original complaint was registered, and is being questioned.
According to the Times of India, the police were investigating the murder of Renukaswamy, a native of Chitradurga, which led them to Darshan when one of the accused revealed his name. It is alleged that Darshan was in constant contact with the accused.
Renukaswamy, who had allegedly sent objectionable messages to Kannada actor Pavithra Gowda on social media, was brought to Kamakshipalya and murdered on June 8. His body was discovered by locals near Sumanahalli bridge on June 9. Ten other suspects have been arrested in connection with the case.
This is not Darshan’s first brush with the law. In September 2011, he was arrested following a complaint by his wife, Vijayalakshmi, who accused him of domestic violence. Vijayalakshmi alleged that Darshan had inflicted severe injuries on her, including tearing one of her ears, which required four stitches, and burning her with cigarettes. Her body was swollen and bleeding, and she was admitted to the ICU of a private hospital to recover from her injuries. During the assault, Darshan allegedly threatened to kill their son, who was then three. The complaint resulted in Darshan being sent to 14 days of judicial custody at Parappana Agrahara.
This led to violent protests by Darshan’s fans who burned buses and gathered in front of the Vijaynagar police station in Bengaluru. The police had to lathi-charge the fans to disperse them. Meanwhile, senior actors in the film industry, such as Ambareesh and comedian Jaggesh, urged Vijayalakshmi to compromise, saying Darshan would be held accountable if he “misbehaved” in the future. Vijayalakshmi later withdrew her complaint claiming that her injuries were a result of falling down the stairs and that it was a family matter.
In 2016, Vijayalakshmi filed another complaint against Darshan for 'objectionable behaviour’.
In January 2023, the Karnataka Forest Department booked Darshan, his wife, and farmhouse manager Nagaraj under the Wildlife Protection Act for allegedly keeping bar-headed geese, a species of migratory birds, at his Mysuru farmhouse.
In January 2024, Darshan had to record a statement before the police for allegedly partying well past the 1 am deadline on New Year’s Eve at a restobar in northern Bengaluru.