SC quashes actor Darshan's interim bail in Renukaswamy murder case

A bench of Justices JB Pardiwala and R Mahadevan quashed the interim bail granted to Darshan by the Karnataka High Court, stating that the bail was granted without adequate consideration of the witness intimidation and other illegalities.

The Karnataka government had filed a plea in the apex court against Darshan's bail order.

Welcoming the decision, Advocate DL Chidananda, representing the State government in the case, said the SC stated that the Karnataka HC's decision did not follow the principles of granting bail.

Advocate Chidananda told ANI, "The Supreme Court said that the High Court has not followed the principles of law which apply for granting bail. It also reiterated that the rule of law prevails in the country and, however influential an individual may be, they must be treated in accordance with the law."

Congress leader Rizwan Arshad said that the State government has built up a "crystal clear" case against the actor, so they had to appeal against the Karnataka HC's order.

"They have built up a crystal clear case. Despite that, he got bail... As a government, we had to appeal against the bail, and that's what we did," Arshad said.

Karnataka Chief Minister's legal advisor, AS Ponnanna, said that granting Darshan bail would have hampered the investigation and trial.

He said, "The state government and the prosecution agency were vindicated... It was the state government's decision that, in a case like this, where a serious offence has been registered, granting him bail would hamper the investigation and trial, as he is a powerful person. They did not want him to use his muscle to derail the prosecution's case."

Darshan was named in the chargesheet in the Renukaswamy murder case, where the 33-year-old resident of Chitradurga was murdered. The victim's remains were discovered in Bengaluru's Kamakshipalya on June 9, 2024. (ANI)