Kannada superstar Darshan Thoogudeepa detained in Bengaluru over alleged involvement in murder case

Popular Kannada superstar Darshan Thoogudeepa, who campaigned for former MP Sumaltha in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, was detained in Bengaluru on Tuesday along with actress Pavithra Gowda and nine others under allegations of having a role in a murder in the city. The victim had allegedly sent derogatory messages to Gowda.

The victim, Renukaswamy (33), was reportedly working at a pharmacy in Bengaluru. According to the police, he was allegedly tortured and killed, before his body was dumped in a drain in Kamakshipalya, close to the police station, two months ago.

Darshan, who rose to fame with the Kannada film ‘Majestic’ in 2001, has been the centre of several cases, and has faced charges for assault before. In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, he campaigned for Sumalatha Ambareesh, who contested the polls as an independent candidate in Mandya and won. She later supported the NDA.


The case began with a missing person’s report filed about the victim in Chitradurga. Three people have surrendered so far, but the police said further investigation has led them to Darshan.

Bengaluru Police Commissioner B. Dayananda said that a murder case had been registered on June 9. “The details are yet to be ascertained and the matter is under investigation. Around 10 people are detained and they are being questioned,” he said.