Sandalwood movie lovers have been going through a tough time recently after one of their biggest stars, Darshan Thoogudeepa, was arrested for his involvement in the murder case of a fan named Renuka Swamy. Darshan and his partner Pavithra Gowda were arrested by the Bengaluru police on June 11 for their alleged involvement in the murder case. A court on Saturday remanded Darshan Thoogudeepa to judicial custody till July 4. Darshan Thoogudeepa Case: Victim Renuka Swamy Sent Obscene Messages to Several Women on Social Media; Kannada TV Actress Makes Shocking Revelations.

Timeline of Renuka Swamy Murder Case

The victim, Renuka Swamy, a pharmacist by profession and a dedicated fan of Kannada star Darshan, allegedly sent obscene messages to Pavithra Gowda on Instagram. The Kannada star is rumoured to have a secretive relationship with the actress despite being married to Vijayalakshmi. When Darshan learnt about the messages, he connected with Raghavendra, head of his fan club in Chitradurga (Swamy's hometown) and asked him to bring the fan to Bengaluru.

Pavithra Gowda Wishes Darshan on His Birthday

A plan was then designed, and Renuka Swamy was taken to a location in RR Nagar, Bengaluru, where he was allegedly brutally assaulted, resulting in his death from multiple injuries. The victim's body was dumped in a drain near Sumanahalli. Recent updates by the police reveal that Darshan and Gowda were both present at the location when Swamy was being tortured.

On June 9, a food delivery agent found dogs eating a human body. The delivery boy informed the police, who registered a murder case after finding multiple injuries on the dead body.

Police Investigation and People Involved in Renuka Swamy Murder Case

On June 10, two men surrendered at the Kamakshipalya police station for killing Renuka Swamy at a shed near RR Nagar due to a financial dispute. Police's further investigation of the case, including an analysis of call records, revealed Darshan Thoogudeepa and Pavithra Gowda's involvement in the case. On June 11, the Kannada star and Gowda, along with 11 others involved in the case, were arrested in the murder case. Darshan, who was in a hotel in Mysuru was taken to the Annapoorneshwari police station for questioning. Gowda was detained from her residence near RR Nagar on the same day.

Others arrested in the Renuka Swamy murder case include Vinay, Nandeesha, Pavan, Lakshman, Deepak, Nikhil, Pradosh, Nagaraju, Raghavendra, Karthik and Keshavmurthy. Gowda, listed as accused number 1, and Darshan, as accused number 2, were produced before the court. Recent reports also revealed that the Kannada star borrowed INR 40 lakh from a friend, Mohan Raj, to pay off others accused of destroying evidence linked to the murder case. Renuka Swamy Murder Case: Did Darshan Thoogudeepa Borrow Rs 40 Lakh From a Friend To Destroy Evidence? Check Details.

Darshan Thoogudeepa. who was in police custody from June 11 has been ordered to judicial custody till July 4 by a Bengaluru court.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 24, 2024 05:03 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).