Renukaswamy murder: Police file 3,391-page chargesheet against Darshan, Pavithra Gowda, others

BENGALURU: The Kamakshipalya police, who are investigating the Renukaswamy murder case in which Sandalwood actor Darshan Thoogudeepa and his friend Pavithra Gowda are the prime accused, submitted a chargesheet, running into 3,991 pages, before the 24th ACMM court on Wednesday.

The box containing volumes of the chargesheet being taken to the courtroom.

The chargesheet of seven volumes, names Darshan and Pavithra Gowda for kidnap, murder, destryoing evidence, conspiracy, dacoity, unlawful assembly among other sections. It also lists 231 pieces of evidence including three eyewitnesses, 97 witnesses who have recorded their statements with the police under CrPC Section 161 and 27 witnesses who will depose before the judge.

Renukaswamy, a resident of Chitradurga, was kidnapped and tortured to death at a shed in Pattanagere in Bengaluru.

While Pavithra Gowda is listed as the first accused, Darshan is the second accused. Fourteen of the accused have been charged with kidnap and murder while three — Karthik a.k.a Kappe, Keshavamurthy and Nikhil Nayak — have been charged with destruction of evidence.

Darshan is currently lodged in the Ballari prison.

While the first volume of the chargesheet summarises the entire case, the second volume consists of the voluntary statements of the 17 accused in the case. The third volume lists the evidences, including material witnesses, the fourth deals with the post-mortem examination and forensic reports while the fifth deals with the FSL and CFSL analysis.

After examination of the chargesheet by the court shirastedar, copies of the chargesheet will be made and given to the accused and their lawyers. Following this, the 24th ACCM court judge Marutesh Parashuram Mohite will commit the case to a sessions court for trial.