Actor Pavitra Gowda Arrested After Supreme Court Cancels Bail In Renukaswamy Murder Case

The Supreme Court revoked bail for actors Darshan, Pavitra Gowda, and others in the Renukaswamy murder case, citing infirmities in the High Court's order.

Pavitra Gowda was arrested, along with co-accused Pradoosh S Rao, Lakshman M, and Nagaraju R.

Source : Instagram

Actor Pavitra Gowda was taken into custody on Thursday, hours after the Supreme Court revoked the bail previously granted to her, actor Darshan, and several others in the high-profile Renukaswamy murder case. Gowda, identified as Accused No. 1 (A1), was arrested from her residence and is set to be produced before a trial court following a medical examination.

The police also apprehended co-accused Pradoosh S Rao (alias Pradoosh), Lakshman M, and Nagaraju R, while Darshan Thoongudeepa’s current whereabouts remain unknown, as reported by Deccan Herald.

SC Cancels Bail Of Darshan, Pavitra & Others

The Supreme Court, emphasising that all individuals are equal before the law regardless of their fame, struck down the Karnataka High Court’s December 13, 2024 order granting bail to Darshan and other accused, citing several infirmities in the judgment. A bench comprising Justices J B Pardiwala and R Mahadevan directed authorities to take the accused into custody immediately and ordered the trial to proceed expeditiously.

"It is evident that the high court order suffers from serious infirmities, instead it reflects a mechanical exercise and moreover, the high court undertook examination at pre-trial stage. The trial court is alone the appropriate forum. The well-founded allegations, coupled with forensic evidence re-enforce the cancellation of bail. The bail granted to the petitioner is cancelled," the bench said, as per a report on PTI.

The top court’s decision followed an appeal filed by the Karnataka government challenging the high court’s bail order. Darshan, Pavitra Gowda, and 15 others had originally been granted bail after their arrest in connection with the brutal murder of 33-year-old Renukaswamy from Chitradurga in June 2024.

According to police, the victim, a fan who allegedly sent obscene messages to Pavitra Gowda, was abducted, held in a shed in Bengaluru for three days, and tortured before his body was discovered in a drain. The Supreme Court issued notices to Darshan, Gowda, and other accused on January 24 in response to the state government’s plea.