Fan murder case: Charge sheet against Darshan ready, to be submitted in one or two days

Bengaluru: In a major development, Bengaluru Police Commissioner B. Dayananda said on Tuesday that the police, investigating the sensational fan murder case involving jailed Kannada superstar Darshan, his partner Pavithra Gowda and 15 others, are ready with the charge sheet to be submitted to the court.

Speaking to the media in Bengaluru, Police Commissioner Dayananda stated, “The investigation in the case has been completed and the charge sheet is ready. The charge sheet is handed over to the public prosecutor and suggestions are taken from his side. After making the changes as per the suggestions, the charge sheet would be submitted to the court in one or two days in the case.”

“Few reports are expected from the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL). All FSL reports from Bengaluru are available with the investigating officers. Few reports are yet to reach the Central FSL from Hyderabad. But, without waiting for the reports from CFSL, we are submitting the charge sheet. We can always add the contents of the reports to the charge sheet in the coming days. Presently, we are submitting a preliminary charge sheet,” the Police Commissioner further said.

According to sources, the police are submitting a charge sheet of about 4,500 pages in connection with the case. The charge sheet also mentions more than 250 pieces of evidence against Darshan and others. There is a chance of Darshan being presented as the prime accused in the case instead of Pavithra Gowda, sources revealed.

The police had shown Pavithra Gowda as the accused number one and Darshan as the second accused in the case in the remand applications submitted to the court.

The police have retrieved the CCTV footage of Darshan and Pavithra Gowda’s residences and footage of the shed where Renukaswamy was hacked to death. The cops have also retrieved the data from the mobiles of the accused and got two photographs of Renukaswamy soaked in blood and joining both his hands to spare his life, sources said.

The police had also found blood stains of Renukaswamy on the pants of Darshan and sandals of Pavithra Gowda. The authorities have also recovered strands of hair from the scene of the crime belonging to Darshan and Pavithra Gowda, sources revealed.

Darshan, who is now in the Ballary prison, has gone into silent mode in his cell following the exposure of luxury treatment at the Bengaluru Central Prison. He has been seen practising Yoga and reciting God’s prayers. Jail authorities have revealed that even as he is spoken to, Darshan is not responding and is tense, awaiting the submission of the charge sheet.

Karnataka Home Minister G. Parameshwara on Tuesday assured that the Congress government will ensure justice to the family of Renukaswamy who was allegedly kidnapped and murdered by jailed Kannada superstar Darshan, his partner Pavithra Gowda, and 15 others.

Asked about what the family of the deceased Renukaswamy can expect from the police, as it makes final preparations in connection with submitting a charge sheet in the case, he asserted that they can expect justice.

"We will ensure justice is served to his family. We will strive in the court to get justice in the case. The investigation officers will take a decision on who should be named as accused number one and two in the case while submitting the charge sheet," Parameshwara said.

The gruesome murder of Darshan’s fan Renukaswamy took place on June 8 in Bengaluru. Renukaswamy was kidnapped from his hometown, Chitradurga, brought to Bengaluru, kept in a shed, and tortured to death.

After the murder, his body was thrown into a canal. The incident came to light after the security personnel of a private apartment building saw the body being dragged by a pack of dogs.

Following the emergence of photos and videos showing Darshan receiving preferential treatment in prison, he was shifted out of Bengaluru jail to Bellary jail on August 29.

Darshan's partner and prime accused in the case, Pavithra Gowda, is kept in the Bengaluru Central Prison and the other associates of Darshan in the case -- Pavan, Raghavendra and Nandeesh -- will be shifted to Mysuru prison. Jagadish and Laxmana will be sent to Shivamogga jail, Dhanraj to Dharwad jail, Vinay to Vijayapura jail, Nagaraj to Kalaburagi jail, and Pradoosh to Belagavi jail. Anukumar and Deepak will remain in the Bengaluru Central Prison.