The Karnataka High Court has issued a gag order on September 10 restricting media outlets from airing, printing, or broadcasting details of the chargesheet filed against Kannada actor Darshan Thoogudeepa in the Renukaswamy murder case. This restriction will remain in place until the next hearing date. The court also directed the Union of India to ensure that media houses comply with the order.
The order was passed by Justice Hemant Chandangoudar in response to a plea filed by Darshan, who sought a directive to prevent the dissemination of ‘confidential’ information from the chargesheet and other related materials, as the case is still under adjudication.
“Despite the ex-parte ad-interim injunction granted on August 27 (Suit filed by wife of Darshan), the media channels continue to print, air, publish and disseminate the confidential information contained in the chargesheet. The petitioner has made out a prima facie case, to grant interim order. Accordingly, the respondents 3 to 40 are hereby restrained from publishing, broadcasting, printing and disseminating confidential information contained in the chargesheet, till the next date of hearing,” LiveLaw reported the court saying.
Darshan was arrested on June 11 in connection with the murder of Renukaswamy, a pharmacist. Renukaswamy allegedly sent inappropriate messages to Darshan's long-time partner, Pavithra Gowda. Darshan, Pavithra, and 15 others are accused of torturing and killing Renukaswamy on June 9 in a shed used for parking seized vehicles in Bengaluru. They later dumped the body near a stormwater drain. Pavithra has been named as prime accused, while Darshan has been named as second accused.
Recently, Darshan was shifted to Ballari prison after photos of him receiving special benefits in Parappana Agrahara jail went viral. Following this, the Karnataka Prisons Department suspended a total of nine staff, including two jailers, for allowing Darshan to smoke a cigarette and drink coffee inside the prison.