The Karnataka High Court on Wednesday granted Kannada actor Darshan Thoogudeepa interim bail for six weeks for medical treatment. The actor was arrested for his alleged involvement in the Renukaswamy murder case.
A single-judge bench of Justice S Vishwajith Shetty reserved the order after considering arguments presented by Darshan's legal representative, senior advocate CV Nagesh, and State Public Prosecutor P Prasanna Kumar.
Darshan was arrested on June 11 for allegedly planning and executing the murder of Renukaswamy. While approving Darshan's interim bail for six weeks, the Karnataka HC directed the actor to surrender his passport before the trial court.
The HC bench directed the actor to appear before the court after finalising the hospital where he would want to get treated. According to PTI, the actor has to appear before a hospital of his choice and submit a report of his medical condition within one week to the court. The report must also include the details of the treatment he would have to undergo.
Reacting to the news of interim bail, which will ensure Darshan's release from prison after 131 days, actor's counsel Sunil Kumar said, “We will come to know only after we get the order copy, we will submit the passport, we have to fulfil some of the procedures for the release of Darshan on bail, we will do that.”
The Kannada actor's counsel presented the report about the health issues he was facing. In its report to the court, the counsel had presented the argument that Darshan had been suffering from intense pain and swelling in his leg for a long time and was planning surgery for the same. He is also suffering from a spinal problem, Sunil Kumar told ANI.
“Our argument was that he had issues in L5 and S1. He has had this pain for a long time, now we will have to fight for regular bail, he has a spinal problem, First Darshan has to be admitted to the hospital and then within a week report has to be submitted. In a sealed envelope, a report related to checkups was submitted,” ANI quoted Kumar as saying.
After the Karnataka Police arrested Darshan in the Renukaswamy murder case, there were allegations about VIP treatment given to the actor at Bengaluru Central Jail. The six-week interim bail to Darshan will likely fuel the controversy.
Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara on Wednesday rejected the VIP treatment allegations and said, “There is no such a thing as VIP treatment. Normally if somebody is not well, the medical team in the prison will take care or they will outsource the medical team from a government hospital. Such things are not VIP treatments."
Darshan has been named in the chargesheet in the Renukaswamy case, in which the 33-year-old resident of Chitradurga was murdered. The victim's remains were discovered in Bengaluru's Kamakshipalya on June 9.
