Kannada actor Darshan Thogudeepa has confessed to assaulting Renukaswamy, a 33-year-old fan who was found dead near a stormwater drain in Karnataka's Sumanahalli area on June 9. According to the charge sheet filed by Bengaluru Police, Thogudeepa admitted to kicking Renukaswamy and striking him with a branch.
Darshan also confessed to asking Pavithra Gowda to hit him with her slipper. The charge sheet reveals that Renukaswamy was assaulted before Thogudeepa encountered him, and videos of the incident have gone viral. Renukaswamy was allegedly lured to a shed in RR Nagar by a member of Thogudeepa's fan club under the pretext of meeting the actor, where he was tortured and murdered.
The post-mortem report suggests that he died due to shock and hemorrhage from multiple blunt injuries. Police sources suggest that Renukaswamy had sent obscene messages to Pavithra Gowda, which allegedly provoked Thogudeepa. Pavithra Gowda has been named as accused number one in the charge sheet and is believed to have been the "major cause" behind Renukaswamy's murder.
The investigation found that she instigated the other accused, conspired with them, and participated in the crime. Thogudeepa has filed a writ petition in the High Court, seeking a directive to prevent media outlets from broadcasting or publishing any details from the charge sheet. The Bengaluru court has extended the judicial custody of the accused till Thursday (September 12).