SC tears into HC judge for bail to actor Darshan

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Thursday raised an objection to Karnataka high court order granting bail to actor Darshan in the Renukaswamy murder case and said that the reasoning given by HC to justify relief is troubling it.

Reserving the order on Karnataka govt plea for cancellation of bail, a bench of Justices J B Pardiwala and R Mahadevan observed, "In a lighter vein, don't you think the high court has basically dictated an order acquittal of all seven? There are ways and ways of assigning reasons. The manner in which the Karnataka high court has dictated the order, very sorry to say, but does the high court dictate the same type of orders in all bail applications? What is troubling us is the approach of the high court! Look at the manner in which bail application is dealt...That is the understanding of the learned judge? And that too from the high court? We can understand a session judge committing such mistakes. A high court judge committing such a mistake?"

The bench said the way in which the bail order was dictated by Karnataka high court, it seemed the court had handed over a judgment of acquittal in favour of the accused persons which was not required.

Darshan, along with other accused, are charged with the murder of Renukaswamy, who was allegedly kidnapped, tortured, and murdered by the actor's accomplices after he apparently sent obscene messages to Pavithra Gowda, a friend of Darshan.

Renukaswamy's body was found in a drain on June 9. As per the police, Darshan paid Rs 50 lakh to four men involved in the planning and execution of the gruesome crime, including arranging for Renukaswamy to be brought to Bengaluru.