Renowned Kannada film actor Darshan Thoogudeepa has been taken into custody in connection with a murder investigation, Bengaluru Police Commissioner B Dayananda said on Tuesday. Currently, Darshan and nine others are being questioned regarding the murder of a man, which took place on June 9 in the Kamakshipalya area of the city.
While addressing press, Commissioner Dayananda stated, “Based on the recovery of the dead body of an unidentified man and the injuries on his body, a murder case was registered. On the basis of CCTV footage and other technical evidence, the deceased was identified as Renuka Swamy,” He refrained from disclosing further details due to the ongoing investigation. He further said that it is being alleged that the deceased was sending abusive messages and comments to Darshan’s wife which led to the incident.
The deceased, Renuka Swamy, an employee at a pharmacy store, was found dead in a stormwater drain in Kamakshipalya. His body, which bore signs of violent injuries, was discovered by local residents who then informed the police.
When asked whether Darshan had been arrested, the police spokesperson stated, “He has been taken into custody and is being questioned. Other procedures will follow after the due process.”
The body was sent for an autopsy, and the forensic report confirmed it was a case of murder, according to police sources.
Further investigation led to the arrest of several suspects, who provided crucial information, a police official revealed. Based on their statements, Darshan was detained from a hotel in Mysuru, PTI quoted sources as saying. The police are now investigating whether the actor was directly involved in the murder or was part of a conspiracy, the news agency added.
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Renuka Swamy’s parents were inconsolable after learning about the murder. “He was my only son. Last year he got married. I spoke to him on Saturday only. I want justice,” his father, Srinivasaiah, told reporters at the Kamakshipalya police station.
The police have provided tight security at Darshan’s house in RR Nagar, where he has a significant fan following.
Darshan debuted as a lead actor in the movie “Majestic” in 2002. He has starred in several commercially successful films, including “Kariya”, “Krantiveera Sangolli Rayanna”, “Kalasipalya”, “Gaja”, “Navagraha”, “Saarathi”, “Bulbul”, “Yajamana”, “Robert”, and “Kaatera”.