Karnataka High Court grants bail to accused in Renukaswamy murder case allegedly involving actor Darshan

The Karnataka High Court recently granted bail to one of the accused allegedly involved in the Renukaswamy murder case, in which Kannada actor Darshan Thoogdeep Srinivas is also an accused.

A single judge bench Justice S. Vishwajith Shetty granted bail to Keshavamurthy on condition that he execute a personal bond of Rs 1 lakh along with two sureties of like sum.

The applicant is accused number 16 in the case, it is alleged that the accused attempted to destroy the evidence after the murder was committed and that he voluntarily surrendered in place of the actual assailants by receiving a certain amount of money.

The applicant’s counsel submitted that after investigation, the police had filed a charge sheet in the case. However, the prosecution argued that two other criminal cases had been registered against the applicant and therefore he should not be released on bail.

The court, after examining the evidence in the case file and the indictment, declared “A charge sheet has been filed against the petitioner only for the offences punishable under Sections 120B, 143, 147, 149, 201 read with Section 34 of the Indian Penal Code. It is undisputed that all the offences alleged against the petitioner are bailable offences.”

Noting that the applicant was acquitted by the trial court in one case and is out on bail in the case registered against him for an offence under the Arms Act.

The court ruled “In view of the above aspects of the case, without expressing any opinion on the merits and demerits of the case, I am of the view that the applicant’s application for regular bail should be answered in the affirmative.”

Accordingly, she granted the application and ordered him to appear regularly on all hearing dates before the trial court, not to threaten or tamper directly or indirectly with the prosecution witnesses.

Appearance: Advocate Ranganath Reddy R for the applicant.

Special PP P Prasanna Kumar

Case Title: Keshavamurthy AND State of Karnataka

Case No.: CRIMINAL APPLICATION NO. 9353 OF 2024

Reference No.: 2024 LiveLaw (Kar) 414

Click here to read/download the order