Kannada actor Darshan Thoogudeepa was arrested on June 11, 2024, in connection with the Renuka Swamy murder case. The same day, his close friend, actress Pavithra Gowda was also arrested in the case.
Days after the arrest, police confirmed that Darshan and Pavithra's fingerprints were found on Swamy's body. The officer added that their prints were also discovered on various objects at the crime scene.
According to the Hindustan Times, evidence was collected from multiple locations: the shed where Renuka's murder took place, the security guard’s room where the body was kept, the vehicle used for transportation, the site where the body was dumped, the victim’s clothes, and the weapons used in the attack.
"The fingerprints on the accused’s clothing were also analysed. The preliminary forensic report has confirmed that the fingerprints match those of the accused. This evidence will bolster the prosecution’s case in the upcoming trial,” the officer said.
The police revealed that the SIM cards used by Darshan, Pavithra, and other suspects in the murder were registered under different individuals' names. This was discovered when the police tracked the call and message details through duplicate SIM cards.
Gowda was using a number registered under the name of a Bengaluru resident, Manoj, while Darshan's number was registered under CP Hemanth's name.
Renuka, a die-hard fan of Darshan Thoogudeepa, was murdered on June 8, 2024, at Sumanahalli Bridge in Bengaluru for sending derogatory comments to Pavithra Gowda, an actress who is allegedly Darshan's girlfriend.
