K’taka fan murder case: Actor Darshan returns to Bengaluru, CISF cover sparks controversy

Actor Darshan returned to Bengaluru from Thailand as the Supreme Court reserved its verdict on his bail in the fan murder case. CISF security provided to him at the airport sparked outrage, with critics questioning VVIP treatment for a murder-accused celebrity.

Bengaluru: With the Supreme Court expressing displeasure over the High Court’s decision to grant bail to actor Darshan and others in the sensational murder case, Darshan, fearing arrest if his bail is cancelled, returned to Bengaluru in the early hours of Saturday from Thailand.

Meanwhile, a fresh controversy has erupted over the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) security cover provided to Darshan at Bengaluru International Airport. He was seen being escorted by armed CISF personnel from the terminal to his car, receiving VVIP-level protection. Local police officers were also seen escorting him at the airport.

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The CISF personnel appeared to avoid interaction with the media and fans. After reaching his car, Darshan was seen thanking the CISF officers.

The development has sparked public outrage, with many questioning the legitimacy of providing CISF security cover to an individual accused of a murder case. Darshan returned to Bengaluru along with his wife and son after completing a film shoot for his upcoming movie ‘Devil’ in Thailand.

During his stay in Thailand, Darshan was caught in yet another controversy after a photo surfaced allegedly showing him partying with Bipin Rai, a murder accused in the killing of Abdul Hameed in the communally sensitive Mangaluru region.

In a major development, the Supreme Court on Thursday reserved its judgment on a petition challenging the Karnataka High Court’s decision to grant bail to Kannada superstar Darshan in the fan murder case. This followed the conclusion of arguments and counterarguments.

During the proceedings, the bench once again voiced strong reservations about the High Court’s order. “We won’t repeat the High Court’s mistake,” the bench remarked. The bench, comprising Justices JB Pardiwala and R Mahadevan, directed counsels to submit their written arguments – limited to three pages – within a week.

The bench questioned the Karnataka High Court’s application of judicial discretion, stating, “Our concern is that judicious discretion was not applied in the order while granting bail to Darshan. The order has pained us. We can understand if a trial court judge errs, but how can we agree with the reasoning cited by the High Court judge?”

The bench also expressed surprise over a photograph showing Darshan with other accused persons. “We thought the photo was taken casually. What kind of people are these? Is it possible to pose for a photo like this after committing a murder?” the bench observed.

The court further questioned why forensic and circumstantial evidence were not given due weight, and why the statements of two eyewitnesses were not considered credible. “There are serious charges of criminal conspiracy and murder, including kidnapping. How can this evidence be ignored?” the bench asked. “We are not deciding the punishment for the accused, nor are we clearing him of charges. We won’t repeat High Court’s mistakes,” the bench clarified.

Darshan, his partner Pavithra Gowda, and 15 others were arrested on June 11, 2024, on charges of kidnapping and brutally murdering Renukaswamy, a fan from Chitradurga.