Supreme Court denies cancellation of Darshan Thoogudeepa's bail in murder case

Supreme Court supports Darshan Thoogudeepa's bail in murder case

The Supreme Court of India has rejected the Karnataka State Government's attempt to challenge the bail granted to Kannada actor Darshan Thoogudeepa and others implicated in the Renukaswamy murder case.

On January 24, 2025, the apex court upheld the decision of the High Court, confirming that it would not annul the bail order. However, the court also stated that it would continue to review the state’s appeal against the bail.

This ruling has significant implications for the case, as it allows the individuals involved to remain out on bail while the legal process unfolds. The case has drawn considerable attention, and the ongoing legal proceedings are expected to attract further scrutiny.

According to a report by The Hindu, the Supreme Court hearing, chaired by Justice J.B. Pardiwala, decided not to impose a stay on the bail granted to Darshan and his co-accused, including Pavithra Gowda.

The court stated that canceling the bail at this stage would be inappropriate but assured the Karnataka government that it would review their challenge and issued a notice to Darshan and the others involved.

The state government, represented by senior advocate Siddharth Luthra, raised concerns that the High Court had "whitewashed" the case against Darshan and his co-accused. They argued that granting bail could create a precedent for other accused individuals in similar cases. In reply, the Supreme Court clarified that if any co-accused applies for bail in the future, the court should not consider the current order and must assess each application on its own merits.

Darshan was arrested on June 11, 2024, in connection with the murder of 33-year-old Renukaswamy. Reports suggest that the victim had made offensive remarks about Pavithra Gowda, who was reportedly in a relationship with Darshan.

The comments implied that Pavithra was responsible for disrupting Darshan's marriage, which reportedly angered him and led to a violent altercation. The victim’s body was found shortly after the attack.