Police given free hand in murder case probe involving actor Darshan: Home Minister G Parameshwara
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara on Wednesday said police have been given a free hand and action will be taken in accordance with law against popular Kannada actor Darshan Thoogudeepa and his associates who were arrested in connection with a murder case.
He said the police will probe and decide whether Darshan is a "habitual offender," adding that they will accordingly invoke legal sections and take action.
"He (Darshan) was brought (from Mysuru to Bengaluru) on the information about his involvement in the murder and has been arrested, inquiry is on. Based on what comes from the inquiry, action will be taken. Law is equal for everyone whether it is Darshan or Parameshwara. So no one should take law into their hands," Parameshwara told reporters here.
Darshan, popularly known as "Challenging Star", and 12 of his close associates were arrested on Tuesday for the murder of 33-year-old Renukaswamy, a fan of the actor.
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Renukaswamy, a resident of district headquarters town of Chitradurga, allegedly commented on the social media account of Pavithra Gowda, a close friend of Darshan and small-time actress, accusing her of creating a rift between the actor and his wife. He also allegedly used "indecent language" and posted offensive messages, according to police sources.
Parameshwara said: "If Renukaswamy had posted something on social media about his female friend, he could have given a complaint, and police would have acted immediately. The information is, he (Renukaswamy) was brought (to Bengaluru from Chitradurga), beaten and has been killed, it could have been avoided."
"Now the incident has happened, a life has gone, and no one can do anything. But whatever action needs to be taken against the culprits in accordance with law, the police will do it," he added.
To a question that Darshan had through influential politicians attempted to save himself, the Minister said, as far as he knows, no one has tried to influence, and action will be taken in the case, in accordance with law.
"No one from the government will interfere. Police have been given a free hand, and they will take whatever action they have to in accordance with law," he said.
Asked as to how the government will stand by Renukaswamy's family, Parameshwara said he will speak to the Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in this regard.
In response to a question, he said every case need not be given to the CBI for probe. 13 people have been arrested, and those involved in the case are known. "There is no need to give the case to another agency."
"Police will probe whether he is a habitual offender...what they (police) will recommend after the probe in their report, is to be seen, police have a free hand, they are free to invoke sections and they have opportunity themselves to do it, they need not ask us to do it," he said, when asked whether rowdy sheet will be opened against Darshan.
In 2011, Darshan was arrested by police for allegedly assaulting his wife and threatening her. He was later released on bail and the couple subsequently resolved the issue and she withdrew the case against him.
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Pak court grants bail to PM Shehbaz's daughter and her husband in graft case
Lahore (PTI): A Pakistani court on Tuesday granted bail to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's daughter Rabia Imran and her husband Imran Yousaf in a mega corruption and money laundering case.
Judge Ashfaq Ahmed allowed the bail petitions of the couple and restrained the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) from arresting them till May 7.
"The special court (central) Lahore granted interim pre-arrest bail to PM Shehbaz's daughter, Rabia Imran and her husband Imran Yousaf till May 7 in a mega corruption and money laundering case as the couple personally appeared before the court along with their counsel after arriving from the UK, where they had gone in 2022 to evade arrest," a court official said.
Last week, an accountability court had suspended the perpetual arrest warrants issued against the couple in the multi-billion corruption case, related to the Punjab Saaf Pani Company case.
The accountability court had issued perpetual warrants for their arrest in 2022 during the tenure of the Imran Khan government.
The PM's daughter and her husband had fled to the UK in 2022, and the court subsequently had declared them proclaimed offenders.
Interestingly, the country's anti-graft body -- National Accountability Bureau (NAB) -- that had instituted the multi-billion corruption case against the couple told the accountability court that it has no objection if the court suspends their warrants.
PM Shehbaz was also nominated in this corruption case but has been acquitted because of a lack of evidence.
Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party has consistently alleged that the acquittal of PM Shehbaz and other ruling coalition members in various mega corruption cases is the result of a "compromised judiciary" and a "NAB-PMLN nexus" (referring to a perceived alliance between the NAB and the military-backed government).
His party has claimed these acquittals represent the "demise of justice" and has accused the judiciary of acting as a "silent accomplice" to state-backed political terrorism.
Khan was ousted from power in April 2022 through a no-confidence motion. Subsequently, he was arrested in August 2023 and has been in jail in multiple cases since then.
