Supreme Court Cancels Bail, Pavithra Gowda Back in Custody

In a dramatic turn of events, Kannada actress Pavithra Gowda, the prime accused in the brutal Renukaswamy murder case, was taken into police custody on Thursday after the Supreme Court revoked her bail. A police team swiftly arrived at Gowda’s residence in Bengaluru following the court’s ruling, which also canceled bail for Kannada actor Darshan Thoogudeepa and five other co-accused. Meanwhile, Darshan, still evading arrest, was reportedly sighted at the Punajanur check post on the Karnataka-Tamil Nadu border, driving a four-wheeler, according to police sources.

The Supreme Court, led by Justices J.B. Pardiwala and R. Mahadevan, emphasized that “no man is above the law,” criticizing the Karnataka High Court’s December 13, 2024, bail order as “perverse” and flawed due to its failure to consider the case’s gravity and the risk of witness tampering. The court ordered the immediate arrest of all accused and directed an expedited trial to ensure justice in the high-profile case that has shocked Karnataka.

The case stems from the June 2024 murder of 33-year-old Renukaswamy, a Chitradurga resident and Darshan fan, who allegedly sent obscene messages to Pavithra Gowda, Darshan’s close associate. Enraged, Darshan, along with 16 others, is accused of orchestrating Renukaswamy’s abduction and torture in a shed in Bengaluru’s R.R. Nagar. The victim’s body, bearing 39 injuries including a fractured rib and head trauma, was discovered near a Sumanahalli stormwater drain on June 9, 2024. Police investigations, backed by forensic evidence, point to Gowda as the “major cause,” alleging she instigated, conspired, and actively participated in the crime, with bloodstains found on her clothing.

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The 3,991-page chargesheet details a chilling sequence: Renukaswamy was lured to the shed by Raghavendra, a member of Darshan’s fan club, under the pretense of a meeting with the actor. There, he endured brutal assaults, including electric shocks. The Supreme Court’s stern warning against “five-star treatment” for the accused in custody underscores the case’s severity, with orders to suspend any complicit jail officials. As the manhunt for Darshan intensifies, Karnataka Police are coordinating with Tamil Nadu authorities to apprehend him, while the public awaits justice for Renukaswamy’s gruesome murder.

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