Fan murder case: Jailed Kannada actor Darshan suffering severe back pain, arguments on bail to continue

Bengaluru, Oct 5 : Jailed actor Darshan, whose bail plea in the fan murder case is being argued in court, is suffering from severe back pain but refusing treatment despite arrangements made by Ballary jail authorities and insisting on being shifted to Bengaluru, sources said on Sunday.

Meanwhile, Darshan’s counsel C.V. Nagesh is set to continue his arguments in the court and is likely to complete his submissions. Special Public Prosecutor Prasanna Kumar will place his counter-arguments and the court is most likely to pronounce its orders in the next week.

The court will also take up the bail petition of Darshan’s partner Pavithra Gowda who is named as accused number one in the case.

According to sources, the doctor who checked Darshan, on his complaint of back pain, has suggested surgery for the actor. However, though the prison authorities are ready to get treatment for him in Ballary, Darshan is not willing to undergo the treatment there but wants to be shifted to Bengaluru. Jail authorities have recorded the statement of Darshan refusing the treatment in Ballary, while making the arrangements.

Sources said that the actor is taking painkillers, but the pain is not subsiding.

Darshan's counsel is also likely to request the court to shift Darshan to a Bengaluru hospital.

Senior counsel Nagesh argued in court on Friday that the evidence gathered against Darshan was planted by the police, and that the charges made against Darshan are similar to the story of 'Arabian Nights'.

The circumstantial and other evidence was planted by the police who investigated the fan murder case, he submitted.

"The media has already described Darshan as guilty. The media has also conducted a trial from the stage of the FIR against him at every phase. The media has also given judgment in the case saying that Darshan should be given either a life sentence or capital punishment," Nagesh told the court. He, however, submitted that he has faith in the judiciary.

The 3,991-page charge sheet, submitted to the 24th Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate's (ACMM) court on September 4, has provided graphic details on how Darshan attacked his fan Renukaswamy who was allegedly kidnapped and kept in captivity by the actor's associates, leading to his death. The charge sheet also claimed that Renukaswamy chatted with Pavithra Gowda by creating a fake ID on Instagram under the name of Gowtham. On June 9, Renukaswamy was abducted from Chitradurga and brought to Bengaluru, where he was confined in a shed at Pattanagere and brutally assaulted. Renukaswamy was murdered, and his body was dumped in a drain at Sumanahalli. In connection with this case, 17 people, including Darshan and his partner Pavithra Gowda, were arrested on June 11. Among 17, the court has granted bail to three of the accused following which they have been released from the prison.