A Sessions court in Bengaluru on Tuesday (September 2)  rejected bail application filed by actress Pavitra Gowda, who is named as accused no. 1 in the Renukaswamy Murder Case.

Additional Sessions Judge Irappanna Pavadi Naik dismissed the application filed by Gowda.

She had sought bail on the grounds that chargesheet was filed after the new law Bharatiya Nagarik Surakhsha Sanhitha (BNSS) came into force and thus the final report filed in the case after investigation under Criminal Procedure Code for offences under IPC instead of BNS is illegal and the cognizance taken by the court on it was also illegal.

The court said “An application filed under sec.187(2) of BNSS, 2023 is hereby rejected. Further it is made clear that the case in hand is governed by laws in force prior to 01.07.2024.”

It may be noted that the Supreme Court had on August 13, set aside the bail granted to Kannada actors Darshan, Pavitra Gowda and five other accused. Following this Gowda moved the bail application before the sessions court after being taken into custody.

The Apex court had set aside the bail order allowing appeal filed by the State of Karnataka challenging the High Court's order of December 2024 granting them bail.

The Supreme Court had said "We considered everything, the grant of bail as well as cancellation. It is evident that the order of the High Court suffers from serious legal infirmities. The order fails to record any special or cogent reasons for granting bail under Sections 302, 120B and 34 IPC. Instead, it reflects a mechanical exercise of discretion formed by significant omission of legally relevant facts"

Darshan had allegedly abducted the deceased from Chitradurga and had him tortured for three days in a shed in Bengaluru in June 2024. The deceased later succumbed to the abuse, with his body thrown out in a drain as per the police report.

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