Karnataka HC restrains media from publishing chargesheet details in Renukaswamy murder case
Bengaluru (PTI): The Karnataka High Court on Tuesday issued an ex-parte interim order barring media outlets from broadcasting, printing, or publishing any information from the chargesheet against Kannada actor Darshan Thoogudeepa, who is accused along with 16 others in the Renukaswamy murder case.
`The restriction will remain in place until the next hearing.
Justice Hemant Chandangoudar, presiding over a single-judge bench, passed the order following a plea by the 47-year-old actor, who requested the court to restrain media organisations from disseminating confidential details contained in the chargesheet and other materials gathered during the investigation.
The case is pending before a Magistrate court.
The High Court noted that despite an injunction issued by a lower court on August 27 in a suit filed by Darshan’s wife Vijayalakshmi, media outlets continued to share confidential information. Finding merit in the petitioner’s arguments, the court ordered media outlets, identified as respondents 3 to 40, to refrain from publishing any details from the chargesheet until the next hearing.
In its decision, the HC referred to the 2010 Supreme Court ruling in "Sidhartha Vashisht @ Manu Sharma vs State (NCT of Delhi)", and Clause 5 of the Cable Television Networks Regulation Act, 1995. It also cited a prior judgment from a coordinate bench of the Karnataka High Court.
The court instructed the Union of India to notify the media houses of this ruling.
Darshan was arrested on June 11, 2024, in connection with the Renukaswamy murder case and has been in judicial custody since June 22. Currently he is lodged in Ballari prison.
According to police sources, 33-year-old Renukaswamy, a fan of the actor, had sent obscene messages to Pavithra Gowda (Darshan's friend and co-accused), which enraged Darshan, allegedly leading to his murder. His body was found near a stormwater drain next to an apartment in Sumanahalli here on June nine.
Raghavendra, one of the accused who is part of Darshan's fan club in Chitradurga, had brought Renukaswamy to a shed in R R Nagar here, on the pretext that the actor wanted to meet him. It was in this shed that he was allegedly tortured and murdered.
According to the post-mortem report, Renukaswamy, a native of Chitradurga, died due to shock and haemorrhage as a result of multiple blunt injuries.
Police sources said Pavithra, who is accused number one, was the "major cause" for Renukaswamy’s murder, claiming that it has been proved from the probe that she instigated other accused, conspired with them, and took part in the crime.
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Sad that Kejriwal is resigning, will work to bring him back: Atishi after being named Delhi CM
New Delhi (PTI): In her first remarks after being designated the next chief minister of Delhi, senior AAP leader Atishi on Tuesday said she was sad that party supremo Arvind Kejriwal was resigning from the post, and added that she will work towards bringing him back as CM.
Atishi, who currently holds several portfolios in the Delhi government, said only a party like Aam Aadmi Party would have given a "first-time politician" like her such responsibilities.
The Aam Aadmi Party said Kejriwal proposed her name as his successor in a meeting of the party's legislators, to which all MLAs unanimously agreed.
"I will work with one goal for the next few months to bring back Kejriwal on chief minister's post. I will work as chief minister under Arvind Kejriwal's guidance and protect the people of Delhi," Atishi said addressing a press conference.
She requested her party MLAs to not congratulate her as it was a "sad occasion".
"Kejriwal trusted me, made me an MLA, then a minister and now chief minister. I am thankful to him. A first-time politician can only get such opportunities in AAP. Had I been in some other party, I wouldn't even have got a ticket to contest polls," she added.
"I am happy, yet I am extremely sad that my elder brother is tendering his resignation today. Do not garland me or congratulate me as its a sad moment that Kejriwal is resigning as Delhi chief minister," she said.
Atishi added that said people are quite angry about Kejriwal's resignation.
Kejriwal will meet Lt Governor V K Saxena at Raj Niwas at 4.30 pm to tender his resignation as chief minister, paving the way for Atishi's appointment as his successor.
Atishi said his resignation was unparalleled in the country's history, and added that she will work for the next few months with the goal of bringing back Kejriwal as chief minister.
Atishi will be the third woman chief minister of Delhi after Congress’ Sheila Dikshit and BJP’s Sushma Swaraj.
Atishi said Supreme Court's bail to Kejriwal was a slap on the face of the Centre, whose probe agencies were called "caged parrot" by it.
The ED and CBI have been used by the BJP-led central government to target him, she alleged.
Kejriwal was recently granted bail by the SC in the excise policy-linked corruption case.
