The Bengaluru police have alerted the Income Tax Department about substantial cash seizures from popular Kannada actor Darshan Thoogudeepa and his associate during an ongoing murder probe. This development adds a new layer of complexity to the case that has shocked the film industry and public alike.
Darshan, affectionately known as ‘The Challenging Star’ by his fans, finds himself at the center of a storm along with his female friend Pavithra Gowda and 15 others. All have been apprehended in connection with the killing of Renukaswamy, a resident of Chitradurga.
A senior police official, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed to a DH reporter that the investigating team has notified I-T authorities about the significant cash recoveries. An I-T department insider explained that it’s standard procedure for law enforcement to report seizures exceeding Rs 10 lakh. For smaller amounts, the decision to inform tax officials is left to the discretion of the investigating agency.
The murder investigation has led to the recovery of over Rs 70 lakh, believed to be linked to the crime. On June 19, authorities seized Rs 37.40 lakh from Darshan’s residence in RR Nagar. Following a notice, the actor’s spouse, Vijayalakshmi, handed over an additional Rs 3 lakh to the police.
In a surprising turn of events, Thoogudeepa revised his earlier statement to police. He now claims to have borrowed approximately Rs 40 lakh from his acquaintance Mohan Raj, allegedly to “evade legal consequences and conceal attempts to cover up the crime and destroy evidence.” This information was detailed in the remand application presented to the court on June 20. Raj, reportedly a former BBMP corporator, is currently being sought by the police.
Earlier, on June 12, Darshan had reportedly admitted to paying Rs 30 lakh to his associate Pradosh S, another suspect in custody. This payment was allegedly made to keep Darshan’s name out of the investigation and cover various expenses, including the disposal of the victim’s body. The entire sum was later recovered from Pradosh’s home in Bengaluru’s Girinagar.
Further investigations revealed that two other arrested individuals, Nikhil Nayak and Keshavamurthy, each received Rs 5 lakh to take the fall for the crime. Two more suspects, Karthik and Raghavendra, were promised similar payments. These four had initially surrendered to the police, claiming responsibility for Renukaswamy’s death.
As the investigation stands, the primary motive behind the murder appears to be Renukaswamy’s “objectionable” social media interactions with Pavithra on Instagram. The victim’s body was discovered near a drain in Sumanahalli on June 9.