Officer investigating murder case against actor Darshan reassigned

Amid the ongoing murder case against Kannada film star Darshan Thoogudeepa and his associates, the Karnataka police on Thursday reassigned the investigation officer. Kamakshipalaya police inspector Girish Nayak has been transferred, and his superior, assistant commissioner of police (ACP) Chandan Gowda, has taken over as the investigation officer (IO) in the high-profile case.

A senior police officer said that the transfer was part of a routine procedure. “Nayak was posted at the Kamakshipalaya station due to the elections. With the model code of conduct (MCC) no longer in effect, he has been returned to his original station. For continuity, ACP Gowda, who has been overseeing the case, has now been appointed the IO,” the officer explained.

This reassignment comes days after Darshan and several of his aides were arrested and remanded to six days of police custody in connection with the murder of Renukaswamy (33), who was allegedly tortured and killed at the Pattanegere shed.

In response to a crowd gathering around the Annapoorneshwari Nagar police station, where Darshan and his associates are being held, Bengaluru authorities have imposed prohibitory orders under section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC).

The orders, which are in effect from June 13 to June 17, restrict gatherings within a 200-metre radius of the police station.

The decision to impose these restrictions was taken as his fans created disturbances by shouting slogans in support of Darshan. Despite additional police forces being deployed to manage the situation, the numbers continued to grow, prompting the need for stricter measures.

The situation reached a peak on June 12 when a large crowd gathered during a spot inspection at the Pattanegere shed, where the murder allegedly took place. The police had to employ a mild lathi charge to disperse the crowd.

“Considering the situation, Bengaluru city police commissioner B Dayananda reviewed intelligence inputs and decided to impose prohibitory orders for five days. During this period, gatherings of more than five people, meetings, protests, and the display of placards and posters are prohibited,” stated a senior officer.

The case has garnered widespread attention, both due to the involvement of the popular actor and the nature of the crime.

As the investigation into the case continues, a team has questioned Darshan at the police station, another team was deployed to collect evidence from the parking lot where the murder took place.

“We have also verified the call details from the victim’s phone. It shows that the last three calls were made by Raghavendra, a member of Darshan’s fan association. The last call lasted for a few seconds. Since then, all calls went unanswered,” said senior officer on the condition of anonymity.