Supreme Court Cancels Bail of Kannada Actor Darshan in Murder Case

The Supreme Court of India cancelled the bail granted to Kannada actor Darshan in a murder case involving his fan, Renukaswamy. The court ruled that a person, regardless of their popularity or position, is subject to the rule of law. The decision was made in response to an appeal filed by the Karnataka government, which challenged the order passed by the Karnataka high court granting bail to the actor. The Supreme Court bench held that the high court conducted an "unwarranted exercise" of examining witnesses and pointing out contradictions in evidence, and that the order suffered from "serious legal infirmities".

Key Takeaways:

• The Supreme Court cancelled the bail of Kannada actor Darshan in a murder case involving his fan, Renukaswamy.
• The court ruled that a person, regardless of their popularity or position, is subject to the rule of law.
• The decision was made in response to an appeal filed by the Karnataka government challenging the order passed by the Karnataka high court.
• The Supreme Court bench held that the high court conducted an "unwarranted exercise" of examining witnesses and pointing out contradictions in evidence.
• The court directed the trial to be expedited and warned the state that if special privileges are provided to the accused in jail, the court will take action against the jail superintendent.
• Darshan, along with actress Pavithra Gowda and several others, is accused of abducting and killing Renukaswamy, a fan who allegedly sent obscene messages to Pavithra.

Statistics:

• The Supreme Court bench consisted of justices JB Pardiwala and R Mahadevan.
• The Karnataka high court granted bail to Darshan and other accused on December 13, 2024.
• Darshan was arrested on June 11, 2024, two days after the body of Renukaswamy was discovered in a drain.
• Renukaswamy was allegedly harassing actress Pavithra Gowda with lewd texts and images, blaming her for Darshan's marital discord.

Sources:

• HT Digital Content Services