'Haven't seen sunlight for several days, my clothes emit foul odor; pls give me poison': Actor Darshan during hearing in court
PTC Web Desk: During the monthly hearing of the Renukaswamy murder case, Kannada actor Darshan Thoogudeepa appeared before the 64th City Civil and Sessions Court (CCH) through video conferencing from jail. The actor expressed his distress over the conditions he is facing in custody.
Darshan told the court that he had not seen sunlight for several days, developed fungal infections on his hands, and his clothes emitted foul odor. “I can’t live like this anymore. Please give me poison, life has become unbearable,” he pleaded. The actor further added that he was unable to survive under such circumstances and repeatedly requested for poison. However, the judge firmly responded that such requests cannot be entertained.
Darshan was arrested in June 2024 for his alleged role in the kidnap and murder of 33-year-old fan Renukaswamy from Chitradurga. Police investigations revealed that the victim had reportedly sent obscene messages to Pavithra Gowda, a close associate of Darshan. He was then allegedly abducted, tortured in a shed in Bengaluru, and later found dead in a drain.
Though Darshan was granted bail by the Karnataka High Court in December 2024, the Supreme Court cancelled his bail on August 14, 2025, citing fears of witness tampering and instructing authorities not to provide him any special privileges in custody. He was subsequently re-arrested and remains in judicial custody.
At the same hearing, the court took up discharge petitions filed by accused numbers 13 and 14, while September 19 was fixed as the date for framing of charges.
- With inputs from agencies
