BENGALURU: A Bengaluru court on Monday extended the judicial custody of Kannada superstar Darshan, his partner Pavithra Gowda, and the 15 other accused in the fan murder case to September 12.
Darshan was produced before the 24th Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate from Ballary prison, while his partner and prime accused in the case Pavithra Gowda was produced from Bengaluru Central Prison through video conference.
The other 15 accused were also produced before the court from their respective prisons as their judicial custody ended Monday.
ACP, Vijayanagar, Chandan Kumar submitted 60 fresh pieces of digital evidence against the accused to the court.
Sources said that Darshan will move a bail petition following the submission of the charge sheet in the case against him.
The Karnataka High Court is likely to take up the bail plea of Pavithra Gowda on Monday once the trial court decides the matter, and the other accused, including Darshan, also plan to move the court.
Meanwhile, sources say Darshan is seriously considering moving a plea before the court seeking to restrict media houses from airing or publishing the details of the charge sheet in the fan murder case.
Sources also said Darshan tried to get the upright Special Public Prosecutor Prasanna Kumar, who has a good track record in dealing with high-profile cases and not bending to pressure, replaced with some influential persons who support him. However, the Congress government had told those lobbying for this that it is impossible to replace the SPP in the present circumstances as it would reflect on the reputation of the government.
The government had to face flak as photos showing how Darshan and his associates were given luxury treatment inside the Bengaluru Central Prison surfaced. Nine officers, including two jailers, were suspended for the lapse and Darshan and his associates shifted to other district prisons. The police investigation into this case has revealed that the prison staff had made arrangements for Darshan, sources said.
Meanwhile, two pet dogs, a Belgian Malinois and a French Bull, have been shifted from Pavithra Gowda’s residence to Darshan’s residence in Bengaluru. The neighbours had approached an animal welfare group over the pet dogs kept at Pavithra Gowda’s house where no one was residing. The dogs are doing well at Darshan's residence, stated Harish, a member attached to the Prani Daya Sangha.
Darshan, Pavithra Gowda, and his associates are in the dock for the gruesome murder of Darshan's fan, Renukaswamy in Bengaluru on June 8. Renukaswamy was kidnapped from his hometown, Chitradurga, brought to Bengaluru, kept in a shed, and tortured to death. After he died, his body was thrown into a canal.
The incident came to light after the security personnel of a private apartment building saw the body being dragged by a pack of dogs. The police had submitted a 3, 991-page charge sheet against Darshan, his partner, and 15 other accused to the court in the case recently.