'Am better than Darshan': Murdered fan taunted superstar's partner Pavithra Gowda with obscene photo, says charge sheet

Bengaluru: Victim Renukaswamy, who was allegedly kidnapped and brutally murdered by Kannada superstar Darshan, his partner Pavithra Gowda, and 15 others, had sent an obscene photo and derogatory messages to Pavithra Gowda, as he believed she was destroying the actor's family life, as per the charge sheet submitted in court, police sources said on Wednesday.

The investigating officers in the case have obtained information directly from Instagram to confirm this, the sources said.

The police sources said Renukaswamy’s mobile was missing as the accused had allegedly thrown it into a canal while dumping the body of Renukaswamy after torturing him to death in June. However, the police had obtained a duplicate SIM card and got his social media accounts activated for the purpose of investigation.

Earlier, the police, in coordination with the civic authorities, and fire and emergency services personnel had launched an extensive search operation in the Vrushabhavathi canal to find the mobile, but were not successful.

Sources said that Renukaswamy developed hatred towards Darshan’s partner, believing Pavithra Gowda had destroyed Darshan's family life and targeted her in support of his wife. Renukaswamy had allegedly sent a photograph of his genitals to Pavithra Gowda and claimed that he was better than Darshan, according to the sources. He Renukaswamy also continued sending derogatory messages to Pavithra Gowda.

Not able to take the torture, Pavithra Gowda had informed Darshan’s close associate Pavan and asked him to handle the situation without informing the superstar, sources said. However, Pavan had shared the information with Darshan. Enraged by this, Darshan had tasked Pavan to find out who this person tormenting her was and bring him before him. Pavan had allegedly started chatting to Renukaswamy in the guise of Pavithra Gowda and started gathering information about him and his movements.

After tracking down Renukaswamy, another accused, Raghavendra, the President of the Darshan Fan Club Association of Chitradurga, was roped into kidnap him. Renukaswamy was asked to come to Bengaluru and accused Pavan and Raghavendra assured him that all he had to do was to apologise to Darshan for what he did and he would be let off. They also promised him selfies with Darshan.

As Renukaswamy was undecided, the accused forced him to board an auto and later forcefully took him into a vehicle from the outskirts of Chitradurga city. He was later taken to a shed in Rajarajeshwari Nagar locality in Bengaluru.

Darshan was then informed that Renukaswamy had been brought there, came to the shed with Pavithra Gowda, and allegedly started assaulting him, along with his gang, for hours. The gang had brought a device for giving electric shocks and allegedly subjected the abducted fan to repeated shocks to his genitals. He was also flung against trucks parked in the shed and kicked around like a football.

Renukaswamy was fed non-vegetarian food even as he pleaded with them that he was a vegetarian.

Detailing the further torture he underwent, sources said that Renukaswamy was burnt at various parts of his body and even as he bled profusely, the gang continued to assault him throughout the night after taking breaks.

Sources also that the accused consumed liquor and other substances as they unleashed unheard brutalities on him. As Renukaswamy succumbed to his injuries, Darshan and the gang allegedly planned to dispose of the body and make four persons surrender to the police claiming that they hacked Renukaswamy to death over a financial matter. However, the police officers managed to crack the case and get information about the kidnapping and the brutal murder of Renukaswamy.

Renukaswamy hailed from a middle-class background with his father Kashinatha Shivanagoudara being a retired government employee. Working at a pharmacy store, he was the sole breadwinner for the family and had a pregnant wife.