Kannada actor Darshan Thoogudeepa, who is accused in the murder of 33-year-old Renukaswamy, was transferred from Bengaluru’s Parappana Agrahara Prison to Ballari Prison on Thursday. The transfer follows allegations that the actor was receiving VIP treatment while in custody at Parappana Agrahara Central Jail, after a photograph of him relaxing on the jail's lawns with three others, including a known rowdy-sheeter, went viral on social media.
The 24th Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate on Tuesday granted permission for Darshan’s transfer, responding to concerns over his conduct inside the jail. The viral photograph showed Darshan sitting on a chair with a cigarette and a coffee mug, alongside other inmates. A video allegedly showing Darshan speaking to someone over a video call from within the prison also surfaced, raising further questions about the special privileges the actor might have been receiving.
Alongside Darshan, other co-accused in the Renukaswamy murder case have been relocated to various prisons across Karnataka. Pawan, Raghavendra, and Nandish were moved to Mysuru Jail; Jagadish and Lakshmana to Shivamogga Jail; Dhanraj to Dharwad Jail; Vinay to Vijayapura Jail; Nagaraj to Kalaburagi/Gulbarga Jail; and Pradosh to Belagavi Jail. Meanwhile, three accused—Pavithra Gowda, Anukumar, and Deepak—remain at Parappana Agrahara Central Jail, while Ravi, Karthik, Nikhil, and Keshavamurthy were previously shifted to Tumakuru Prison.
The court extended the judicial custody of Darshan, Pavithra Gowda, and other accused until September 9. All 17 accused were produced before the magistrate via video conferencing from their respective prisons, following a remand application filed by the police.
According to police investigations, the murder was allegedly triggered after Renukaswamy, a fan of Darshan, sent obscene messages to Pavithra Gowda, the actor's close associate. This reportedly enraged Darshan, leading to the killing of Renukaswamy, whose body was discovered near a stormwater drain in Sumanahalli, Bengaluru, on June 9.