Popular Kannada actor Darshan Thoogudeepa, the son of veteran actor Thoogudeepa Srinivas and Meena, has been arrested in connection with the murder of 33-year-old Renukaswamy, who reportedly sent obscene texts to actress Pavithra Gowda. Pavithra is said to be in relationship with Darshan, who is married to Vijayalakshmi Darshan. So far, a total of 13 people, including Darshan and Pavithra, have been arrested in connection with the murder.
This is not the first time the Kannada star has courted controversy. Earlier, Darshan was arrested for assaulting his wife Vijayalakshmi in 2011. However, after the actor spent several days in the jail, his wife withdrew her complaint for the sake of their son Vineesh.
The incident had no impact on Darshan’s career, as his film Saarathi, which released soon after the controversy, went on to become a blockbuster hit at the box office.
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In 2016, Darshan made headlines again after his wife approached the police for the second time alleging that the actor was causing disturbance outside her residence and attempted to forcibly enter her apartment.
While all was evidently not well between the couple, actress Pavithra Gowda grabbed everyone’s attention after she openly confessed to her relationship with the Kaatera star.
Pavithra often shared several photos and videos with Darshan from various events including their trips and birthdays. Just a few months ago, Pavithra, in a long post, revealed her association with Darshan for over a decade and celebrated the same.
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This irked Vijayalakshmi, the wife of Darshan, who too took to her Instagram handle to expose Pavithra Gowda, claiming the actress is married to Sanjay Singh and not Darshan Thoogudeepa. She questioned the character of Pavithra, who is a mother to a daughter from her marriage to Singh.
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The online spat between the two went on for a while. However, Vijayalakshmi has now deleted the posts. On the other hand, Pavithra continues to keep the posts with Darshan on her Instagram profile.
Several of Darshan and Vijayalakshmi’s fans were upset with the development. It is said that Renukaswamy, a resident of Chitradurga district, who was also a die hard fan of Darshan, allegedly posted comments on social media accusing Pavithra Gowda of causing a rift between the 47-year-old actor and his wife. Renukaswamy in anger allegedly used “indecent language” and posted offensive messages on Pavithra’s social media account.
The police told PTI, “It was Pavithra who instigated Darshan to punish Renukaswamy. Accordingly, the plan was hatched. Darshan engaged the Chitradurga unit of Darshan Fan Club Convenor Raghavendra alias Raghu, who obtained all information about Renukaswamy.”
Reportedly, Renukaswamy was abducted and taken to a shed in Bengaluru’s Kamakshipalya.
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Sources told PTI, “Darshan beat up Renukaswamy with a belt. After he fell unconscious, his accomplices thrashed him with sticks. Further, they threw him against a wall, which proved fatal, as he suffered multiple bone fractures. After the killing, his body was dumped in a storm-water drain in Kamakshipalya area of the city.”
After investigation, on June 11, Darshan and Pavithra Gowda were arrested by the Bengaluru police from Mysuru. They were then brought to Bengaluru and sent to a six-day police custody.
On Wednesday, Renukaswamy’s wife denied the claims of her late husband sending derogatory message to anyone. In a media interaction, the wife said, “If my husband had sent derogatory messages on social media, he should have been given a warning. What was the need to kill him? Whether he (Darshan) is an actor or a star, I want justice.”
Meanwhile, Darshan’s wife Vijayalakshmi, who has refrained from commenting on the murder case, has been actively posting reels and posts shared by the actor’s fans in support of Darshan.
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Also Read | ‘Box Office Sultan’ Darshan detained in murder case is no stranger to controversies
While this has been one of his biggest controversies, Darshan has made headlines several times over the years. The actor once assaulted a waiter in Mysuru, who reportedly was asked to be quiet after being paid Rs 50,000. On another occasion, Darshan was slammed for making an inappropriate statement about Goddess Lakshmi. During one of his film promotions, he said, “The Goddess of Luck does not always come knocking on your door. So, when she does come, grab her, drag her, and lock her in your bedroom without giving her clothes.” Offended by this, a member of the audience, in another event, threw a slipper at the star.
In 2023, Darshan was arrested after he was accused of ordering his dogs to attack a 48-year-old lawyer for parking her car near the actor’s residence. In the same year, he was also issued a notice for disturbing peace. After the success of Kaatera, Darshan along with Abhishek Ambareesh (son of veteran actors Ambareesh and Sumalatha), Rockline Venkatesh, and Dhananjaya, celebrated at a bar in Bengaluru. Despite being warned to end the party at 12:30 am, the festivities continued with loud music.
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