Supreme Court Cancels Bail of Kannada Actors Darshan, Pavitra in Murder Case
On 13 August, the Supreme Court set aside the bail granted to Kannada actors Darshan, Pavitra Gowda, and five others in the Renukaswamy murder case. The other accused are Nagaraju R., Anu Kumar @ Anu, Lakshman M., Jagadeesh @ Jagga, and Pradoosh S. Rao @ Pradoosh.
The decision came after the State of Karnataka appealed against the Karnataka High Court’s December 2024 order granting them bail. A bench of Justice J.B. Pardiwala and Justice R. Mahadevan observed that the High Court’s order suffered from serious legal flaws. It noted that no special or valid reasons were given for granting bail in a case under Sections 302 and 34 of the IPC.
The bench stated that the High Court had unnecessarily examined witness statements in detail at the pre-trial stage — an exercise meant for the trial court during cross-examination. Granting bail in such a serious offence without properly considering the gravity of the crime, the role of each accused, and the risk to the trial was described as a wrongful use of judicial discretion.
The Supreme Court further emphasised that there was compelling forensic and circumstantial evidence against the accused and allegations of witness intimidation. It said that allowing bail in such circumstances could threaten the fairness of the trial.
The Court invoked its extraordinary jurisdiction under Section 439 of the CrPC, reminding that Article 14 of the Constitution ensures equality before law and bars any special treatment based on fame or privilege. The bench ordered the immediate arrest of the accused and directed that the trial be conducted swiftly, with the judgment based solely on merit.
Justice Pardiwala remarked that the judgment sends a strong message that “no one is above the law.” He warned that if accused persons receive VIP treatment in jail, the concerned officials, including the jail superintendent, should face suspension.
According to the police, Darshan allegedly abducted Renukaswamy from Chitradurga in June 2024 and held him captive in a shed in Bengaluru, where he was tortured for three days. The victim died from his injuries, and his body was later dumped in a drain.
Case Title: The State of Karnataka vs Sri Darshan & Others, SLP (Crl) No. 516-522/2025.
