Supreme Court cancels actor Darshan Thoogudeepa’s bail in the Renukaswamy murder case, warning against any “five-star” treatment in jail.
The Supreme Court has cancelled the bail granted to Kannada actor Darshan Thoogudeepa in the Renukaswamy murder case. The court held that the Karnataka High Court’s December 13, 2024, order, which also freed six co-accused, suffered from “serious legal infirmities.” A bench of Justices J B Pardiwala and R Mahadevan said the order failed to record special or cogent reasons for granting bail in a murder case under Sections 302 and 34 of the IPC.
The accused were arrested for the June 9, 2024, murder of Renukaswamy, a fan. Darshan was taken into custody on June 11, 2024, after allegations that he paid men to kill Renukaswamy for stalking and abusing his close friend, actor Pavitra Gowda, on social media. Co-accused included Gowda, Pradoosh Rao, Jagadish alias Jaggu, Anu Kumar, Lakshman M, and Nagaraju K.
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The bench ruled that granting bail without fully considering the gravity of the offence, the accused’s role, and the risk of interference with the trial was “perverse.”
The court noted well-founded allegations of witness intimidation and strong forensic and circumstantial evidence. It stressed that such factors justified the cancellation of bail to protect the integrity of the trial.
Justice Pardiwala called Justice Mahadevan’s ruling “very erudite” and “inaffable,” noting its clear message that all individuals, regardless of status, are subject to the law.
Quoting the principle that “obedience to the law is demanded as a right, not asked as a favour,” the court emphasised the need to maintain the rule of law at all times.
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The bench cautioned the Karnataka Government against providing “special or five-star treatment” to the accused in jail. It directed that if such conduct occurs, the jail superintendent and all involved officials must face immediate suspension.
This warning follows viral images of Darshan inside a Bengaluru jail, seen smoking with gangster J Nagaraj while holding a cup.
The court reiterated that no one can be exempt from legal responsibility due to popularity or privilege by citing Article 14's guarantee of equality before the law.
The court ordered that the trial be held as soon as possible and that the verdict be based only on the evidence that was provided. The accused was also sent back into custody. It said unequivocally that its conclusions only apply to the bail matter and are unrelated to the trial's outcome.
