India Supreme Court refuses actor Darshan bail, orders fast-track trial

The Supreme Court on Friday refused to grant bail to Kannada actor Darshan Thoogudeepa in the high-profile Renukaswamy murder case, while directing Karnataka authorities to fast-track the trial and complete the examination of key witnesses within a year.

The ruling deals a major setback to the actor, who will continue to remain in custody as proceedings continue in one of Karnataka’s most closely watched criminal cases.

A bench of Justices JB Pardiwala and Vijay Bishnoi expressed concern over the slow pace of the trial, noting that despite charges being framed in November last year, only 10 of the prosecution’s 272 witnesses had been examined in the past seven months.

The court, however, left the door open for Darshan to seek bail again if the trial fails to make substantial progress over the next year.

“We will watch for some time but we will see to it that your trial proceeds expeditiously,” the bench observed during the hearing.

What is the case?

The case relates to the murder of Renukaswamy, whose body was found near a stormwater drain in Bengaluru in June last year. According to police, the victim had allegedly sent abusive and inappropriate messages to actress Pavithra Gowda, who is considered close to Darshan. Investigators alleged that Renukaswamy was abducted and assaulted by a group linked to the actor before his death. Darshan and several others were arrested in connection with the case and have denied wrongdoing.

Court seeks faster progress

The Supreme Court directed the Karnataka government to prioritise the examination of 60 crucial witnesses within the next 12 months and cautioned against unnecessary delays in the proceedings.

Senior advocate Siddharth Luthra, appearing for the Karnataka government, informed the court that while the prosecution had listed 272 witnesses, it intended to focus primarily on around 150 witnesses, including 60 considered critical to the case.

The bench responded by telling the prosecution not to keep “multiplying witnesses”.

At the same time, the court also pulled up the defence over repeated adjournments, directing lawyers representing the accused, including Darshan, to cooperate with the trial and avoid seeking delays on “flimsy” grounds.

Defence flags slow proceedings

Darshan’s legal team, led by senior advocates Mukul Rohatgi and Siddharth Luthra, argued that the sluggish pace of the trial was unfairly prolonging the actor’s incarceration.

The defence also pointed to the absence of a permanent judge in the 57th CCH Court, where the case is being heard, and argued that the vacancy was contributing to delays in the proceedings.

Taking note of the concern, the Supreme Court directed the Karnataka High Court to expedite the process of appointing a judge to the vacant post.

The court observed that while the trial’s progress was “certainly slow”, it was not inclined to grant immediate relief at this stage.

“If there is no substantial progress in trial for one year, the accused may move a bail application,” the bench said.

Jail facilities issue raised

The hearing also dealt with Darshan’s allegations that he had been denied basic amenities in prison after his bail was cancelled last year.

The Karnataka government denied the allegations and told the court that all facilities available to undertrial prisoners under prison rules were being extended to the actor.

The Supreme Court directed jail authorities to ensure that Darshan receives all standard facilities permitted under the prison manual, though it declined to make observations regarding quarantine cell arrangements raised during the proceedings.