Renukaswamy murder case news: A Bengaluru court extended the judicial custody of Kannada actor Darshan Thoogudeepa, his friend Pavithra Gowda, and other co-accused in the Renukaswamy murder case until September 9. All 17 accused, including Darshan and Pavithra, were presented before the magistrate court via video conferencing from their respective prisons in Bengaluru and Tumakuru, as their judicial custody ended today.

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The extension was granted based on a remand application submitted by the police. The 24th Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate also approved the transfer of Darshan, who is currently held at the Parappana Agrahara Central Jail in Bengaluru, to a prison in Ballari. This decision came after a photograph went viral showing Darshan in the company of three others, including a known criminal, on the jail premises. The image, which showed him relaxed, holding a cigarette and a coffee mug, caused public outrage. A video of him engaging in a video call from the prison also surfaced on social media.

The court also approved the transfer of several co-accused to different prisons across the state. Pawan, Raghavendra, and Nandish are to be moved to Mysuru Jail; Jagadish and Lakshmana to Shivamogga Jail; Dhanraj to Dharwad Jail; Vinay to Vijayapura Jail; Nagaraj to Kalaburagi Jail; and Pradosh to Belagavi Jail. However, Pavithra Gowda, Anukumar, and Deepak will remain at Parappana Agrahara Central Jail, while four others—Ravi, Karthik, Nikhil, and Keshavamurthy—had already been transferred to Tumakuru Prison.

Following a preliminary investigation into alleged "special treatment" given to Darshan, nine prison officials, including the Chief Superintendent of Parappana Agrahara Jail, were suspended. Three FIRs have also been filed, including one against Darshan under sections of the Prisons Act and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

Police reports indicate that Renukaswamy, a 33-year-old fan of Darshan, had sent offensive messages to Pavithra Gowda, which allegedly provoked Darshan and led to Renukaswamy's murder. His body was discovered near a stormwater drain by an apartment complex in Sumanahalli on June 9. Raghavendra, a member of Darshan's fan club in Chitradurga, reportedly lured Renukaswamy to a shed in R R Nagar under the guise of meeting the actor, where he was allegedly tortured and murdered. The post-mortem report revealed that Renukaswamy died from shock and haemorrhage due to multiple blunt-force injuries.

According to police sources, Pavithra Gowda, who is the primary accused, is considered the main instigator in the murder, having conspired with the other accused and actively participated in the crime.