The bench cited “serious legal infirmities” in the High Court’s order, saying it failed to provide cogent reasons for bail and ignored the gravity of the offence.
BY PC Bureau
New Delhi, August 13 — The Supreme Court on Tuesday set aside the Karnataka High Court’s December 13, 2024 order granting bail to Kannada actor Darshan and other accused in the Renukaswamy murder case, directing that they be taken into custody immediately.
The State of Karnataka had challenged the High Court’s decision, arguing that Darshan, along with several co-accused, was involved in the abduction and killing of 33-year-old Renukaswamy — a man described as the actor’s “fan” — allegedly over obscene messages sent to actress Pavithra Gowda.
Delivering the verdict, the bench noted that the High Court’s order suffered from “serious legal infirmities” and failed to provide “special or cogent reasons” for granting bail in a case under Sections 302 and 34 of the IPC.
“The order reflects a mechanical exercise of discretion with significant omission of legally relevant facts. The High Court engaged in an extensive examination of witness statements at the pre-trial stage — issues that should be left for the trial court during cross-examination. Granting bail in such a serious case without adequately considering the nature and gravity of the offence, the accused’s role, and potential interference with the trial amounts to a perverse and unwarranted exercise of discretion,” the Supreme Court said.
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The bench also emphasised that “well-founded allegations of witness intimidation” and “compelling forensic and circumstantial evidence” further justified cancellation of bail. It held that the liberty granted to the accused posed “a real and imminent threat to the fair administration of justice” and risked derailing the trial.
Citing Article 14 of the Constitution, the court observed: “Equality before law mandates that all persons, regardless of popularity or privilege, are equally subject to the law.”
Police allege that in June 2024, Darshan abducted Renukaswamy from Chitradurga and held him in a shed in Bengaluru, where he was tortured for three days before succumbing to his injuries. His body was allegedly dumped in a drain.
Darshan, along with Pavithra Gowda, Anu Kumar, Lakshman M, V Vinay, Jagadeesh, Pradoosh S Rao, and Nagaraju R, had approached the High Court for bail after the sessions court rejected their plea.
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On July 24, a bench of Justices J.B. Pardiwala and R. Mahadevan reserved judgment after questioning the State on corroborative evidence to support eyewitness accounts implicating Darshan. The judges had earlier expressed serious reservations about the High Court’s handling of the bail plea, with Justice Pardiwala remarking that the order “basically handed over a judgment of acquittal” to the accused.
The apex court has ordered that the trial be conducted expeditiously and concluded on merits, making it clear that its observations are strictly limited to the question of bail and will not influence the trial outcome.
