The Kamakshipalya police in Bengaluru have uncovered alleged connections between three arrested individuals and influential figures, marking a significant turn in the witness intimidation probe linked to the Darshan Thoogudeepa fan murder case. Investigators are now examining whether these contacts played a role in an organised attempt to silence a key prosecution witness.

The Intimidation Attempt

The three arrested accused — Puneeth, Venu, and Suhas — are alleged to have threatened Sandeep, a cashier at a bar and a key witness in the fan murder case, in a bid to obstruct the investigation. According to police, the trio, along with two others identified as Gaurav and Kiran Reddy, allegedly made WhatsApp calls to Sandeep, pressuring him not to cooperate with investigators.

Gaurav and Kiran Reddy were reportedly in constant contact with Puneeth prior to his arrest. Following his detention, both allegedly went absconding, and police have launched a search to trace and apprehend them.

Influential Connections Under Scrutiny

Investigators have also identified a bar owner from Sanjaynagar as a suspect in the intimidation case. He too is reportedly absconding. Crucially, one of the absconding bar owners is alleged to be in contact with a member of jailed actor Darshan Thoogudeepa's family. Police are examining whether these connections had any bearing on the alleged conspiracy to intimidate the witness.

This comes amid a broader pattern of alleged evidence tampering in the case. Investigators found that the three arrested accused had deleted chat histories and call logs from their mobile phones — a detail that prompted forensic intervention.

Forensic Analysis Underway

Mobile phones seized from the accused have been sent to the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) for analysis. The FSL report is expected to reconstruct WhatsApp calls, messages, and other digital evidence, helping investigators determine the precise role of each accused and whether a wider conspiracy was at play.

Background: The Fan Murder Case

Kannada superstar Darshan Thoogudeepa was arrested in June 2024 on charges of allegedly masterminding the murder of his 33-year-old fan, Renukaswamy, whose body was recovered from a Bengaluru canal. According to investigators, the victim was targeted for sending derogatory social media messages to Darshan's partner, Pavithra Gowda.

The trial is ongoing, but the case has been repeatedly disrupted by allegations of witness intimidation and evidence tampering — raising serious questions about the integrity of the judicial process.

What Comes Next

Police have indicated that further arrests are likely as the investigation progresses and more evidence surfaces. The witness intimidation probe is being treated as a critical thread in the larger fan murder case, and the FSL findings are expected to be a decisive factor in determining the full scope of the alleged conspiracy.