Darshan Thoogudeepa arrested in murder plot: 10 developments so far

    Kannada superstar Darshan Thoogudeepa is accused in connection with the murder of Renuka Swamy, who was believed to be his die-hard fan. The investigation has revealed startling new details.  

    Darshan Thoogudeepa held in a murder case.

    Darshan Thoogudeepa held in a murder case.

    Kannada superstar Darshan Thoogudeepa's arrest in connection with the murder of Renuka Swamy has sent shockwaves across the country. As the investigation progresses, many new details have come to light.

    Here are the top 10 developments in the case so far:

    1. According to TV reports, local media personnel were aware of Darshan's impending arrest hours before it happened. However, at the request of the police, the media did not report it to protect the sanctity of the covert operation. Given that Darshan is one of the most influential stars in Karnataka, the police were very cautious in carrying out his arrest in Mysuru. The officials were worried that if Darshan's arrest were leaked, it might lead to law and order situations and jeopardize their efforts to bring the actor back to Bengaluru, the epicentre of the crime.

    2. Darshan was reportedly staying in Mysuru to shoot for his next film. During the early hours of Tuesday, the police picked up Darshan and his bodyguards outside a gym in Mysuru.

    3. Darshan has been charged with multiple criminal counts under the relevant sections of the IPC, including murder, kidnapping, and destruction of evidence. He was subjected to a medical examination and later taken in for questioning. He is one of the 10 suspects in the case.

    4. Actress Pavithra Gowda, who is believed to be Darshan's girlfriend, has also been taken into custody by the Bengaluru police after initial questioning. At the moment, it's unclear whether she has also been charged in connection with the case.

    5. The victim, Renuka Swamy, is said to be a die-hard fan of Darshan. He was allegedly upset with the problems between Darshan and his wife Vijayalakshmi. He started harassing Pavithra Gowda by posting lewd comments on her social media walls, hoping to stop her from seeing Darshan.

    6. According to reports, Darshan asked one Raghu, the president of his fan club in Chitradurga, to bring Renuka Swamy to Bengaluru. Renuka Swamy was kidnapped and brought to a Bengaluru farmhouse, where he was tortured and killed.

    7. As per the latest reports, Darshan and Pavithra Gowda were also present when Renuka Swamy was subjected to the assault.

    8. Renuka Swamy was working at Apollo Pharma in Chitradurga. He got married last year, and his wife is five months pregnant.

    9. Renuka Swamy left for work as usual on Saturday but never returned. His body was discovered on Sunday in a drainage area in Bengaluru. The cops received a positive identification from Renuka Swamy's kin and began the murder investigation under the supervision of Bengaluru Police Commissioner B Dayananda.

    10. Bengaluru Police Commissioner B Dayananda is expected to hold a press conference soon to share the findings of the initial investigations and the further course of action.