2 weeks ago
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The Supreme Court connected Friday (May 15, 2026) expressed disappointment implicit the “slow” gait of the proceedings successful the 2024 Renukaswamy execution lawsuit involving Kannada histrion Darshan Thoogudeepa, and granted him liberty to renew his plea for bail if determination is nary “substantial progress” successful the lawsuit wrong a year.
A Bench of Justices J.B. Pardiwala and Vijay Bishnoi observed that the presumption study submitted by the proceedings tribunal successful Bengaluru revealed that the prosecution had examined lone 10 witnesses implicit the past 7 months, contempt proposing to analyse astir 150 witnesses.
“We are of the presumption that the advancement of the proceedings is highly slow. At this pace, it is apt to instrumentality a sizeable magnitude of clip earlier adjacent the 60 worldly witnesses are examined. If determination is nary important advancement successful the proceedings wrong 1 year, it shall beryllium unfastened to the petitioner to erstwhile again question bail earlier the proceedings court,” the Bench observed.
The apical tribunal was proceeding Mr. Darshan’s plea, contending that the proceedings was apt to beryllium prolonged and that his continued incarceration would irreversibly impact his livelihood and cardinal close to practise his profession. He besides alleged discriminatory attraction successful custody, claiming helium had been denied basal amenities successful usurpation of situation rules.
No adjournments connected ‘filmsy grounds’
Senior advocator Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for Mr. Darshan, submitted that determination was small imaginable of the proceedings concluding successful the adjacent aboriginal and alleged that the histrion had been confined to an isolated quarantine compartment for the past 8 months.
“My bail was cancelled successful August. We are present successful May. Only 10 witnesses person been examined, portion 150 much stay to beryllium examined. I person been kept successful a quarantine cell, which is efficaciously an isolated cell, for the past 8 months,” helium submitted.
However, elder advocator Siddharth Luthra, appearing for the State of Karnataka, denied the allegation that Mr. Darshan was being kept successful a quarantine compartment and submitted that the State intended to implicit the introspection of 60 captious witnesses wrong a year. He further apprised the tribunal that the histrion was being provided each basal amenities disposable to immoderate different undertrial prisoner.
Taking the submissions into consideration, the Bench directed the proceedings tribunal to guarantee that witnesses are examined regularly and that the proceedings are not adjourned connected “flimsy grounds”. It observed that, if necessary, the proceedings tribunal whitethorn behaviour day-to-day hearings for the introspection of witnesses.
“We would similar to observe the advancement of the proceedings for a further play of 1 year. At the extremity of 1 twelvemonth from today, if determination is nary important advancement successful the trial, we whitethorn look into the substance accordingly. We besides expect the defence to cooperate with the behaviour of the proceedings and guarantee that witnesses are examined regularly and arsenic expeditiously arsenic possible,” the Bench said.
Darshan, an enigmatic prima who mislaid his sheen
Basic amenities plea
The apical tribunal besides directed situation authorities to guarantee that the histrion is provided with each basal amenities to which immoderate different undertrial captive is entitled successful accordance with the jailhouse manual.
“We are not touching the contented of quarantine. It is not indispensable that helium beryllium kept each alone; you tin straight talk to the authorities. What we had conveyed earlier was that determination should not beryllium immoderate peculiar treatment. You were caught red-handed, and we did not admit it”, the Bench remarked.
In August past year, the apical tribunal had cancelled the bail granted to Mr. Darshan and the co-accused aft taking enactment of concerns raised by the Karnataka authorities that the histrion was attempting to power witnesses and had received favourable attraction owing to his “celebrity status”. The tribunal had besides cautioned jailhouse authorities against extending immoderate peculiar privileges to him.
On Friday, Mr. Rohatgi further apprised the Bench that the justice presently conducting the proceedings was lone holding an further charge, arsenic the regular presiding officer’s station had remained vacant for the past six months.
“He is saying that helium cannot give much than 2 days a week to the trial,” Mr. Rohatgi said.
The Bench accordingly directed the Karnataka High Court to look into the contented connected its administrative broadside astatine the earliest.
“We are further informed that the presiding serviceman of the proceedings tribunal is holding an further complaint due to the fact that the regular tribunal is vacant. The High Court shall look into it connected the administrative broadside astatine the earliest,” the Bench recorded successful its order.
Mr. Darshan, on with histrion Pavithra Gowda and respective others, is accused of abducting and torturing 33-year-old Renukaswamy, a instrumentality who had allegedly sent obscene messages to Ms. Gowda. According to the police, the unfortunate was held successful a shed successful Bengaluru for 3 days successful June 2024, subjected to torture, and his assemblage was aboriginal recovered from a drain.
The histrion was arrested connected June 11, 2024, successful transportation with the alleged killing. He was initially lodged astatine the Parappana Agrahara Central Prison successful Bengaluru, but was aboriginal transferred to Ballari Central Jail aft allegations of preferential attraction successful custody sparked controversy.
While cancelling the bail granted to the histrion past year, the apical tribunal had observed that the Karnataka High Court’s December 13, 2024, bid failed to adequately see “vital aspects” highlighted by the State, including Mr. Darshan’s sizeable societal and governmental clout.
