Karnataka High Court Grants Bail To Accused In Renukaswamy's Murder Case Allegedly Involving Actor Darshan
The Karnataka High Court recently granted bail to one of the accused allegedly involved in the Renukaswamy murder case, in which Kannada actor Darshan Thoogdeep Srinivas is also an accused.
A single judge bench of Justice S Vishwajith Shetty granted bail to Keshavamurthy on him executing a personal bond of Rs 1 lakh with two sureties of like sum.
The petitioner is accused no 16 in the case, it is alleged that the accused had tried to destroy the evidence after the murder was committed and he had voluntarily surrendered in the place of the actual assailants by receiving a certain amount.
The counsel for the petitioner contended that after investigation the police have filed a chargesheet in the case. However, the prosecution argued that as against the petitioner, two other criminal cases were registered and thus he should not be released on bail.
The court on going through the material on record and the chargesheet said “Charge sheet has been filed as against the petitioner only for the offences punishable under Sections 120B, 143, 147, 149, 201 read with 34 of IPC. Undisputedly, all the charge sheeted offences against the petitioner are bailable offences.”
Noting that the petitioner has been acquitted by the Sessions Court in one case and is on bail in the case registered against him for an offence under the Arms Act.
The court held “Considering the aforesaid aspects of the matter, without expressing any opinion on merits and demerits of the case, I am of the view that petitioner's prayer for grant of regular bail requires to be answered affirmatively.”
Accordingly, it allowed the petition and directed him to appear regularly on all the dates of hearing before the Trial Court, not to directly or indirectly threaten or tamper with the prosecution witnesses.
Appearance: Advocate Ranganath Reddy R for Petitioner.
Special PP P Prasanna Kumar
Case Title: Keshavamurthy AND State of Karnataka
Case No: CRIMINAL PETITION NO. 9353 OF 2024
Citation No: 2024 LiveLaw (Kar) 414