Overview

• Apex court bench said it was “not convinced” by the Karnataka High Court’s exercise of discretion in granting regular bail to Darshan and co-accused.
• The Karnataka government’s special leave petition, filed in January, challenges the December 13, 2024 bail order that freed the actor and five associates.
• Police allege Darshan abducted and subjected Renukaswamy to three days of torture in a Bengaluru shed, leading to the 33-year-old’s death and body disposal in a drain.
• During the hearing, Justices JB Pardiwala and R Mahadevan pointed to language in the High Court order as evidence it was “panting” to find reasons to release the accused.
• The bench sought information on any criminal antecedents and noted the actor’s public presence with a key prosecution witness as possible grounds for revocation.