Can Darshan and Pavithra Gowda Avoid Bail Cancellation in Fan Murder Case?

Bengaluru/New Delhi, Aug 6 (NationPress) Kannada film star Darshan and his partner Pavithra Gowda, the main suspects in the fan murder case, have filed written statements to the Supreme Court, arguing against the cancellation of their bail.

In his statement, presented through his lawyer, Darshan asserted that there is no evidence connecting him to the alleged crime, while Gowda emphasized her role as a single parent to a daughter in Class 10 and her responsibilities towards her elderly parents.

On July 24, the Supreme Court reserved its decision on a petition from the Karnataka Police that challenged the bail given to Darshan and others involved in the Renukaswamy fan murder case. During the proceedings, the apex court expressed serious concerns regarding the Karnataka High Court’s decision to grant bail to the actor.

“We will not repeat the High Court’s error,” the bench commented while discussing the High Court’s ruling.

The bench, comprising Justices J.B. Pardiwala and R. Mahadevan, instructed all attorneys to provide written arguments, limited to three pages, within a week. The specifics of these submissions came to light on Wednesday.

Darshan’s defense stated: "He was apprehended in Mysuru in the morning, while the FIR was lodged in Bengaluru. The justification for his arrest was not given in writing until the evening, which breaches legal protocol. Revoking Darshan’s bail would be excessively punitive, especially since he has not breached any bail terms."

"There is no proof that Darshan directed the kidnapping of Renukaswamy. No call logs or message exchanges exist between him and Accused No. 3. The testimonies of witnesses Kiran, Mallikarjun, and Narendra Singh are not credible."

The third accused is Ravi, the driver who transported Renukaswamy to Bengaluru.

The submission further claimed that witness Kiran’s statement was recorded a week after the incident, and the other two witnesses did not name Darshan during court proceedings. "The prosecution alleges to have a three-second video, but this video is non-existent. It is not referenced in the chargesheet nor was it presented to the High Court. The timeline of Renukaswamy’s death is aligned with the prosecution’s narrative," it stated.

Meanwhile, Gowda, the primary accused in the case, asserted that she was a victim of sexual harassment by Renukaswamy. She maintained that she had no communication with any of the accused on the day of the crime. She argued that the prosecution failed to substantiate the allegations of kidnapping and murder against her.

She further stressed that she has no criminal history and was not involved in Renukaswamy’s murder. "The injuries on the victim’s body were not caused by me. The police did not provide a written reason for my arrest. Given my status as a woman, revoking my bail would be excessively severe," her statement read.

The Supreme Court bench questioned the application of judicial discretion by the Karnataka High Court, stating, "We are concerned that judicious discretion was not utilized when granting bail to Darshan. The order has caused us distress. We can understand if a trial court judge makes an error, but how can we accept the rationale provided by the High Court judge?"

The bench also expressed astonishment over a photograph depicting Darshan with other accused individuals.

The court further inquired why forensic and circumstantial evidence was disregarded and why the statements of two eyewitnesses were deemed unreliable. "There are serious allegations of criminal conspiracy, murder, and kidnapping. How can this evidence be overlooked?" the bench asked.

Darshan, Pavithra Gowda, and 15 others were arrested on June 11, 2024, on charges of kidnapping and brutally murdering Renukaswamy, a fan from Chitradurga.