Supreme Court Questions Bail Granted to Kannada Actor in Murder Case

Supreme Court's Stance on Actor's Bail

On Thursday, the Supreme Court expressed skepticism regarding the Karnataka High Court's decision to grant bail to actor Darshan Thoogudeepa in the murder case of Renukaswamy. The High Court had previously allowed Thoogudeepa to receive interim bail for six weeks on October 30, 2024, to undergo surgery, and later granted him regular bail along with five other accused on December 13, 2024.

In January, the Karnataka government appealed to the Supreme Court to contest the bail ruling.

A bench comprising Justices JB Pardiwala and R Mahadevan requested Thoogudeepa's legal team to present compelling reasons for the Supreme Court not to intervene in the High Court's ruling.

During the proceedings, advocate Kapil Sibal, representing Thoogudeepa, inquired about the specific aspects of the High Court's judgment that the Supreme Court found unconvincing.

Justice Pardiwala highlighted concerns regarding the High Court's approach, particularly its inclination towards finding ways to grant bail.

Thoogudeepa was taken into custody on June 11 in relation to the murder of Renukaswamy, a 33-year-old fan who had allegedly sent offensive messages to Thoogudeepa's partner, Pavithra Gowda. Renukaswamy's body was discovered in a drain in Bengaluru's Summanahalli area on June 9.

A chargesheet was submitted shortly after a Bengaluru court permitted the police to transfer Thoogudeepa to Ballari district prison from Parappana Agrahara Central Jail, following allegations of preferential treatment during his detention.

Subsequently, nine officials from the central jail in Bengaluru were suspended after a photograph surfaced on social media showing Thoogudeepa relaxing on a prison lawn with three other inmates.