Supreme Court cancels Darshan Thoogudeepa and Pavithra Gowda's bail in Renukaswamy murder case

The cancel order was passed by a bench of Justices JB Pardiwala and R Mahadevan in response to a plea filed by the Karnataka government challenging the High Court order.

"Justice Mahadevan has pronounced a very erudite judgment. It is ineffable. It conveys a message that however big the accused may be, he or she is not above the law. It contains a strong message that the justice delivery system at any level should ensure at any cost that rule of law is maintained.

"No man is above law or below it. Nor do we ask anyone's permission when we obey it. the need of the hour is to maintain rule of law at all times," Justice Pardiwala said as quoted by Bar and Bench.

"The day we come to know that the accused persons are being provided 5-star treatment, the first step would be to place the superintendent into suspension along with all other officials," the bench said.

Coming down heavily on the Karnataka HC, the top court had earlier called the granting of bail a "perverse exercise of judicial power".

Single-judge bench of the High Court had granted the bail for Darshan to undergo a surgery.

The State had presented Darshan's medical reports from the doctors at Ballari Central Prison as well as the head of the department of neurology at a government hospital in the district.

About the murder case

According to police, the victim had posted an objectionable comment on Kannada actress Pavithra Gowda's Instagram handle accusing her of causing a rift between Thoogudeepa and his wife Vijaya Lakshmi.

This happened after Pavithra posted an Instagram video celebrating his 10-year relationship with Darshan, who has been married to Vijaya Lakshmi for 20 years.

Darshan's aides reportedly carried Renukaswamy in a taxi from Chitradurga to their Bengaluru hideout where they tortured the victim to death.

After allegedly beating to death, Renukaswamy's body was dumped in a stormwater drain at an area which falls under Kamakshipalya Police Station.

Police reportedly got to know from a food delivery man who saw a dog eating the body of the victim.