In a shocking revelation in the Renukaswamy death case, Kannada superstar Darshan Thoogudeepa has, as per the remand note, confessed to paying Rs 30 lakh to co-accused Pradosh. Darshan paid this amount to Pradosh to "manage" the police and lawyers and to pay those people surrendering before the police, claiming to have murdered Darshan’s fan Renukaswamy.

It has been said that Darshan paid the money to accused Pradosh to dispose of the victim’s body and make sure the actor’s name does not come up in the case.

The Kannada actor referred to this in his voluntary statement, according to the remand copy. During their search, the police recovered cash from Pradosh’s home on JP Road in Girinagar.

"Darshan, who is accused number 2 (A2) in the case, has in his voluntary statement to police said that he had given Rs 30 lakh to Pradosh (A14) to dispose of the body, and for the expenditure that would cost…for persons to carry out this task, and to ensure that his name doesn’t come out anywhere," the police said.

In the Renukaswamy murder case, a total of 17 persons have been arrested, including Kannada star Darshan and his girlfriend Pavithra Gowda.

Renukaswamy, a fan of actor Darshan, allegedly sent lewd texts to Pavithra Gowda. This action angered Darshan and, according to the police, led to Renukaswamy’s murder. On June 9th, Renukaswamy’s body was discovered near an apartment in Sumanahalli, close to a stormwater drain.

Photos of Renukaswamy’s body have been shared online, showing clear signs of brutal assault with rods and evidence of electrocution.

The police collected Darshan’s clothes and other pieces of evidence from his home in Bengaluru’s RR Nagar area. To avoid media attention, police brought Darshan home late on Friday night. Darshan had initially claimed that the clothes he wore on the night of the alleged murder were at his home. He directed the police to a laundry basket, but the clothes were not found there.

Upon further investigation, the clothes were found cleaned and left to dry on the terrace. Darshan told the police he believed his domestic help might have washed them.

The police took the clothes as evidence, along with shoes seized from Darshan’s wife’s home and CCTV footage from the premises.

Actor Darshan’s Fan Was Tortured with Electric Shocks Before His Murder: Autopsy Report

The post-mortem report of Renukaswamy, a fan of well-known Kannada actor Darshan Thoogudeepa, indicated that he was subjected to electric shocks before his death, according to a report published in India Today. This revelation has surfaced as authorities delve into the high-profile case, which has sent shockwaves through the Kannada film industry. Among the 17 individuals arrested in connection with Renukaswamy’s murder are Darshan and his fellow actor Pavithra Gowda.

Police sources quoted by India Today revealed that a newly arrested suspect, Dhanraj, a cable worker from Mandya, provided information about the torture. Dhanraj was allegedly called to a warehouse in Bengaluru by another suspect, Nandish, where they planned to use an electrical megger to shock Renukaswamy. The police have seized the device.

Renukaswamy, an autorickshaw driver and a member of actor Darshan’s fan club, was reportedly kidnapped from Chitradurga district on June 8 after sending offensive messages to Pavithra Gowda. His body was later found near Sumanahalli Bridge in Bengaluru.

India Today TV has CCTV footage showing the moments before Renukaswamy was kidnapped. The suspects started following him in an autorickshaw at 9:30 AM when he left his house. At 9:41 AM, the autorickshaw was caught on a surveillance camera passing a petrol pump, with another person on a white scooter following them.

On Sunday, a car used in the abduction was found and seized. As reported by PTI, the car was discovered parked at a house in Ayyanahalli village in Chitradurga district. Ravi, one of the suspects, had allegedly left the car there. The police confiscated several items from the vehicle after questioning Ravi’s family.

Darshan, known as the “Challenging Star,” and 12 others were first arrested last Tuesday (June 11). On Saturday, their police custody was extended for further investigation.

What transpired and how the incident unfolded

The police revealed that RenukaSwamy had criticized Pavithra in his Instagram comments, suggesting she was a 'third wheel' between Darshan and his wife Vijayalakshmi.

Pavithra, a small-time actress in her late 30s, was reportedly offended by the remarks and complained to Darshan. According to the police, Darshan decided to confront Renukaswamy. He allegedly requested Raghavendra, a member of his fan association in Chitradurga, to bring Renukaswamy to Bengaluru. On the evening of June 8, Raghavendra took Renukaswamy to a shed located in RR Nagar, a western suburb of Bengaluru.

The shed is owned by Pattanagere Jayanna, a local businessman and uncle of one of the suspects. Some of the suspects were already present in the shed. Despite Renukaswamy's assertion that he was also a fan of Darshan, the suspects ignored him and physically assaulted him.

Police suspect that Darshan himself was present at the shed when RenukaSwamy was brutally assaulted and killed.

According to the Deccan Herald, CCTV footage captured two vehicles—a red Jeep Wrangler allegedly owned by Darshan and a dark SUV—leaving the shed at 3:27:13 AM on June 9.

On the same day, around 8 AM, a security guard at Sattva Anugraha apartment complex in Sumanahalli discovered a body dumped near a stormwater drain. He promptly alerted the police about the unidentified body, which showed signs of injury to the head, face, ears, and other parts, with some areas bitten off by stray dogs.

Following the victim’s identification, the Kamakshipalya police jurisdiction initiated a murder and evidence destruction investigation.

During the police inquiry, four suspects, including individuals named Karthik and Keshava Murthy, surrendered themselves to the authorities, confessing to killing Renukaswamy over a financial dispute."

Four suspects, including Karthik and Keshava Murthy, surrendered to the police on the same day, confessing to killing Renukaswamy over a financial dispute while the police were already investigating. However, police found their statements suspicious and decided to conduct further investigations. Subsequently, the suspects revealed the identities of their accomplices and implicated the Kannada actor.

A police team was dispatched to Mysuru to apprehend Darshan. Pavithra and ten other suspects were also arrested. The 24th ACMM court remanded all of them in police custody for six days.

Police have invoked IPC Section 120B, which pertains to criminal conspiracy.

Kannada actor Darshan and his history of violent behaviour

Darshan is a popular Kannada actor known as the 'Challenging Star' among his fans. He started his career in television and made his debut as a lead actor in the 2002 film 'Majestic'. Some of his blockbuster films include 'Kalasipalya', 'Saarathi', 'Yajamana', and 'Roberrt'. His latest movie, 'Kaatera', was released in 2023. Besides acting, Darshan is also involved in producing and distributing Sandalwood films.

Despite his success in Kannada cinema, Darshan has faced several controversies. Most recently, Darshan and others were accused of partying past the legal deadline of 1 AM at Jetlag Restobar in Bengaluru in January this year, celebrating the success of 'Kaatera'. In April 2024, Bengaluru police filed an FIR against Darshan, actors Abhishek Ambareesh, producer-director Rockline Venkatesh, and Dhananjaya for continuing the party with loud music. Notices were issued to Darshan and the others involved.

In November last year, the Kannada actor faced allegations of directing dogs to attack a woman who had parked her car near his residence. An FIR was filed against him under IPC section 289, citing negligence. However, police later clarified that Darshan was not present during the incident, and the woman claimed the dogs belonged to the actor.

In January 2023, Darshan was charged under the Wildlife Protection Act (WPA) 1972 for the illegal possession of bar-headed geese and other migratory birds.

In December 2022, Darshan stirred controversy after making a derogatory remark about the Goddess of Luck during an interview for his film 'Kranti'. He reportedly said, 'The Goddess of Luck does not always come knocking on your door. So, when she does come, grab her, drag her, and lock her in your bedroom without giving her clothes.' This comment sparked significant backlash, including an incident where a fan threw a slipper at him during an event in Hospet.

In July 2021, Darshan faced accusations of assaulting a waiter at a hotel in Mysuru. Later, the waiter accepted Rs 50,000 to settle the case, and no charges were filed against the actor.

During the same year, Kannada film producer Bharat filed a complaint against Darshan, alleging threats from the actor.

In March 2016, Darshan’s wife Vijayalakshmi filed a police complaint stating that Darshan assaulted her and threatened to shoot her. Medical examination confirmed bruises and a head wound requiring four stitches. During court proceedings, Darshan claimed he was intoxicated and had no memory of the incident.

In September 2011, Vijayalakshmi accused Darshan of domestic violence and abuse for the first time.

Despite never formalizing their divorce, Darshan and Vijayalakshmi's relationship was tumultuous, marked by multiple separations due to allegations of domestic abuse and violence. In September 2011, Vijayalakshmi filed a case against Darshan in family court, which was later settled out of court.

Recently, actress Pavithra publicly acknowledged her decade-long relationship with Darshan, despite his marriage to Vijayalakshmi. Pavithra shared on Instagram, 'One decade down, forever to go. We’ve been together for ten years. Thank you,' celebrating their time together.

After Pavithra's post gained widespread attention, Vijayalakshmi threatened legal action against her. In response, Pavithra posted a picture of a 'diya,' expressing her love for Darshan and recounting the abuse she and her daughter endured over the past decade. Darshan has not commented on these developments.