The murder investigation of Renukaswamy took a significant turn on Friday with the surrender of Ravi, a driver linked to the case, in Chitradurga. Ravi had transported Swamy from Chitradurga to Bengaluru, a distance of 200 km, where Swamy’s body was later discovered.
Renowned Kannada actor Darshan Thoogudeepa, known as ‘Challenging Star’, along with his co-star and girlfriend Pavithra Gowda, and 11 others, are currently in police custody. They are accused of orchestrating the murder of Renukaswamy after he allegedly posted derogatory comments on Gowda’s social media uploads.
Ravi surrendered at the Deputy Superintendent of Police’s office in Chitradurga on Thursday night. Sources indicate that Ravi initially went into hiding after dropping the group off in Bengaluru but later reached out to the taxi association in Chitradurga, who advised him to surrender to the authorities.
The investigation revealed that another accused, Raghu alias Raghavendra, who managed a fan club for Darshan in Chitradurga, arranged the taxi that took Swamy to Bengaluru on June 8.
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The accused, including Ravi, boarded the cab in Chitradurga and arrived in Bengaluru that evening. Raghu was reportedly hired by the actor to gather information about Swamy.
Renukaswamy’s wife reported that he was kidnapped near their home, a claim now under scrutiny as new evidence surfaces. CCTV footage shows two cars leaving the area where Swamy’s body was dumped on the night of the murder, with one car linked to the accused actor.
The gruesome details of the murder indicate that Swamy was taken to a shed in Bengaluru’s Kamakshipalya, where Darshan allegedly beat him with a belt while his aides used sticks. Swamy was then slammed against a wall, resulting in multiple fractures across his body. His body was later discovered by a food delivery rider, with dogs found nibbling on it.
As the investigation progresses, the surrender of Ravi is expected to shed more light on the events leading up to the murder, while the involvement of a popular actor and his associates continues to shock the public and fans alike.