Popular Kannada actor Darshan Thoogudeepa, aged 47, was arrested today due to his suspected involvement in the murder of a man who allegedly sent obscene texts to his co-star. Darshan was taken from his farmhouse in Mysore this morning and brought to Bengaluru by the police.
The case centers around the murder of Renuka Swamy, a 33-year-old man whose body was discovered in Bengaluru on June 9. Renuka Swamy, who worked for a pharmacy company, had reportedly posted inappropriate messages on social media about Pavithra Gowda, Darshan’s co-star and close friend. Pavithra Gowda has also been questioned by the police regarding the murder.
Renuka Swamy was from Chitradurga, which is over 200 kilometers away from Karnataka’s capital, Bengaluru. Bengaluru’s police chief, B Dayanand, stated, “At first glance, it seems that the deceased had sent objectionable messages to Darshan’s girlfriend.”
Residents alerted the police to the murder after reportedly seeing stray dogs dragging a body out of a drain. The body had visible injuries. The investigation led to the arrest of several suspects, who allegedly pointed to Darshan’s involvement.
Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara said, “The police have detained several people in this case. During interrogation, they revealed Darshan’s name. After this, the police took him into custody for investigation.”
Darshan, known as the “Challenging Star” by his fans, was taken by the police from a film shoot in Mysore this morning. The police are investigating whether Darshan was directly involved in the murder or if he was part of the plot. So far, nine other individuals have been arrested in connection with the case. Tight security has been provided at Darshan’s RR Nagar residence in Bengaluru.
Darshan debuted as a lead actor in the 2002 film “Majestic” and is known for his roles in movies like “Anatharu” (2007), “Krantiveera Sangolli Rayanna” (2012), and “Kaatera” (2023). However, he is not new to controversies, having spent several nights in jail about a decade ago over allegations of domestic abuse.
Renuka Swamy’s family is devastated. His father, Srinivasaiah, expressed his grief, saying, “He was my only son. He got married last year. I spoke to him just on Saturday. I want justice.”
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For more about Darshan, visit his Wikipedia page: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Darshan_(Kannada_actor)