Fri Dec 13 09:20:02 UTC 2024: ## Karnataka High Court Grants Bail to Actors Darshan and Pavithra Gowda in Murder Case
**Bengaluru, December 13, 2024** – The Karnataka High Court granted regular bail on Friday to seven individuals, including prominent actors Darshan Toogudeepa and Pavithra Gowda, who were charged in the kidnapping, torture, and murder of Renukaswamy. Justice S. Vishwajith Shetty approved separate bail petitions for Darshan, Gowda, and five other co-accused.
The accused, part of a group of 15 indicted in the case, had been denied bail by a lower court. Darshan had previously received interim bail in October to undergo back surgery.
Renukaswamy, an employee of a Chitradurga medical shop, was kidnapped and murdered on June 8th. His body was discovered near a storm drain the following day. Police allege that Renukaswamy had sent obscene messages and photographs to Pavithra Gowda, Darshan’s reported live-in partner. Instead of reporting the incident, the accused allegedly kidnapped Renukaswamy from Chitradurga, tortured him at a Bengaluru shed, and attempted to dispose of his body. The prosecution further alleges that Darshan attempted to cover up the crime by paying others to falsely confess.
The High Court’s decision marks a significant development in the high-profile case that has garnered considerable public attention.
First Piper 