Bengaluru: The 57th Sessions Court on Tuesday dismissed the bail petition of Pavithra Gowda, the partner of Kannada actor Darshan and prime accused in the sensational Renukaswamy murder case. Gowda’s plea was filed on technical grounds, but the court rejected her arguments after hearing both sides.
Bail plea based on technical grounds
Gowda’s counsel argued that the chargesheet filed by police was invalid, as it was prepared under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC), instead of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS). Since the new laws came into effect in June last year, the defence contended that the use of IPC and CrPC was unlawful and, therefore, Gowda deserved bail.
The prosecution, however, countered this by stating that offences which occurred before the implementation of the new laws would continue to be prosecuted under the IPC and CrPC. It accused the defence of attempting to mislead the court and pointed out that the Supreme Court had already rejected earlier bail pleas filed by Gowda and other accused.
Court’s response
The trial court expressed displeasure over the arguments raised in Gowda’s defence and ruled that the bail application lacked merit. With this, her petition was formally dismissed.
Meanwhile, the court also scheduled a hearing on a petition filed by prison authorities seeking permission to transfer actor Darshan from Bengaluru Central Jail to Ballari Prison. Along with Darshan, other accused including Jagadish, Laxman, Nagaraj, and Pradosh may also be shifted to different prisons across Karnataka.
Supreme Court had cancelled Darshan’s bail earlier
Earlier, the Karnataka High Court had granted bail to Darshan, but the Supreme Court overturned that decision. A bench of Justice J.B. Pardiwala and Justice R. Mahadevan observed that the High Court had issued its order as if ruling on conviction or acquittal, instead of merely deciding on bail.
The apex court said this amounted to a misuse of judicial power and stressed that such mistakes cannot be expected from a High Court. Consequently, Darshan was sent back to jail after his bail was revoked.
Defence submissions in Supreme Court
On August 6, Darshan and Pavithra Gowda had urged the Supreme Court not to cancel their bail. Darshan maintained that there was no evidence linking him to the crime, while Gowda argued that she was a single parent of a Class 10 student and caretaker of her elderly parents. The Supreme Court rejected these claims, ruling that the trial must continue.
Case background
The case stems from the murder of 33-year-old Renukaswamy, who was found dead on a flyover in Bengaluru on 9 June 2024. Renukaswamy, a fan of actor Darshan, had allegedly been harassing Pavithra Gowda online. Prosecutors allege that Renukaswamy was kidnapped and killed at Darshan’s behest in retaliation.
The case has since seen multiple twists, with both Darshan and Gowda facing serious allegations and repeated legal battles.
What lies ahead
With Gowda’s latest bail petition rejected, she remains in custody as the trial progresses. The next development will be the court’s decision on the prison department’s request to transfer Darshan and other accused to facilities outside Bengaluru.
The case continues to attract wide public attention due to the involvement of a popular film star and the brutal nature of the crime. Legal experts believe that the arguments around the use of IPC versus BNS and BNSS could set important precedents for similar cases in the future.