Darshan Thoogudeepa, accused in the Renuka Swamy murder case, missed a court hearing claiming back pain but was seen attending a film event. He, along with others, is accused of kidnapping, torturing, and murdering Swamy. The victim had allegedly sent obscene messages to actress Pavithra Gowda. The incident has sparked outrage and raised questions about the actor’s conduct.
Bengaluru: Karnataka actor Darshan Thoogudeepa, a key suspect in the kidnapping, assault, and murder of Renuka Swamy last June, was spotted at a special screening of his new film, Vamana, in Bengaluru on Tuesday evening.
This appearance came just hours after he missed a court date, citing back pain.
His legal team stated that the actor experienced a recurrence of pain similar to that reported during his time in prison in Bellary last year. At that time, he had declined treatment at a local hospital, insisting on being taken to Bengaluru instead. He later secured bail on medical grounds and was admitted to a hospital in the city.
Upon learning of Thoogudeepa’s absence, the court expressed its disapproval, warning him to attend all future hearings, stating that no further excuses would be tolerated. During the session, the actor requested the return of Rs.75 lakh in cash that had been seized from his residence.
All other accused, including his partner, Pavithra Gowda, were present in court. Each accused had been granted regular bail last year with the stipulation that they attend every court appearance.
Thoogudeepa and the others face allegations of conspiring to kidnap, torture, and murder Renuka Swamy, whose body was discovered near a stormwater drain in Bengaluru.
This crime allegedly stemmed from obscene text messages and derogatory social media posts he made about Gowda. A total of 17 individuals have been charged in connection with the case.
Authorities believe Thoogudeepa may have paid up to Rs.50 lakh to four men involved in planning and executing the crime, including arranging for Renuka Swamy’s transport from Chitradurga district, approximately 200 km away.
Police suspect that Rs.30 lakh was paid to a man known as Pradosh (alias Pawan) to manage all aspects of the kidnapping and murder, as well as the disposal of the body. Two others, Nikhil and Keshavamurthy, reportedly received Rs.5 lakh each for their involvement in the murder and body disposal.
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Additionally, Rs.5 lakh was intended for the families of two men, Raghavendra and Karthik, to encourage them to provide false confessions and serve time in place of Thoogudeepa, Gowda, and the others.
Thoogudeepa was arrested in June last year and granted regular bail in December by the Karnataka High Court, following a separate controversy regarding his privileged treatment in prison.
A viral photo from inside Bengaluru prison showed him smoking a cigarette while relaxing on a lawn, raising concerns about special privileges at Parappana Agrahara Central Jail. An inquiry was initiated, resulting in his transfer to another facility before his eventual release on bail.