Darshan gets bail on medical grounds, released from Ballari prison

Ballari: Actor Darshan Thoogudeepa, arrested more than four months ago in a murder case, walked out of jail here on Wednesday, hours after the Karnataka High Court granted him interim bail on medical grounds, to undergo spine surgery.

The 47-year-old, arrested on June 11, was lodged in Ballari prison. His friend Pavithra Gowda and 15 others are co-accused in the Renukaswamy murder case.

The bench of Justice S Vishwajith Shetty on Wednesday morning granted interim bail to Darshan for a period of six weeks. And he was released from prison this evening after jail authorities completed formalities on receiving the court order.

The court has laid down certain conditions, as per which he should execute a personal bond for a sum of Rs two lakhs with two sureties for the like sum, and surrender his Passport before the Trial Court.

It has also said that he is “at liberty to get himself operated and treated in a Hospital of his choice at Bengaluru and he shall report to the said Hospital forthwith after his release and get himself medically examined and a report from the said Hospital mentioning the probable date of petitioner’s surgery, period of admission of petitioner in the Hospital for the proposed treatment and follow-up treatment if any, shall be filed before this Court within one week from the date of release.”

Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar said the government “respectfully welcomes” the decision of the High Court granting interim bail to actor Darshan.

Family of Renukaswamy, who was allegedly killed by Darshan and others, declined to comment on the Court granting him interim bail, but expressed confidence that the guilty will be punished as they have faith in the judiciary and police.

“Bail has been granted under the legal system, we cannot comment on it. We have faith that the guilty will be punished. We have faith in law and the police. (Darshan’s) treatment is a matter for the Doctor, him and the court, we don’t want to comment on it,” Renukaswamy’s father Kashinath Shivanagoudar told reporters in Davangere.

Sahana, wife of Renukaswamy, had given birth to a baby boy on October 16. She was five months pregnant when her husband was killed.

Darshan’s fans burst into celebration in various parts of Karnataka, after news broke that he has secured interim bail.

Darshan’s wife Vijayalakshmi performed a special prayer at Durgamma Temple in the district headquarters town of Ballari, where her husband is lodged in a prison. Waving Darshan’s posters, hundreds of his fans distributed sweets and burst crackers in several areas of Ballari and Bengaluru, among others.