Bengaluru: Popular actor Darshan Thoogudeepa who is implicated in the Renukaswamy murder case has been sent to judicial custody on Saturday.
Darshan and three of his associates have been remanded to judicial custody until July 4. Darshan and 16 others including actor Pavithra Gowda were arrested in connection with the murder of Renukaswamy.
The 24th Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (ACMM) passed the order on Saturday after the police submitted their final remand application. Notably, the investigators did not seek an extension of police custody for Darshan and his associates.
This high-profile case has gripped public attention since it first came to light. Darshan, affectionately known as ‘Challenging Star’ by his fans, finds himself at the center of a storm that has engulfed not just him, but also his close friend Pavithra Gowda and 15 others. All stand accused in what has become one of the most talked-about criminal cases in recent Karnataka history.
The judicial custody order marks a new phase in the investigation. Darshan, along with Vinay, Dhanraj, and Pradosh, had already spent 13 days in police custody, during which time they were extensively questioned by the authorities. Meanwhile, Pavithra Gowda and 12 other suspects were moved to judicial custody on June 20, after enduring 11 days of interrogation.
