By Ayesha Khan 
Bengaluru, May 23: Two courts, one Supreme Court order, and a calendar date that could change everything. The Renukaswamy murder case is heading into what might be its most consequential legal stretch yet, and for the people of Karnataka who have followed this case since that grim discovery in a Bengaluru stormwater drain nearly a year ago, the next few days are going to matter.
A New Court Takes Charge
Start with the basics. From June 1, the trial moves. The entire case, which has been running through the Incharge Court until now, shifts jurisdiction to the 59th Sessions Court in Bengaluru. This came about because of a broader statewide redistribution of police station-wise court allocations, and cases falling under the Kamakshipalya police station got reshuffled in the process. The Renukaswamy murder case was among them.
Honourable Judge Sujatha M. Samrani will now preside. A fresh court, a new judge, and a case that already has considerable weight attached to it. The transfer is administrative on paper, but practically speaking, it means re-establishing the rhythm of a trial that needs to pick up pace, not slow down.
That context matters because the Supreme Court has already said as much.
What the Apex Court Has Directed
Darshan’s lawyer submitted a copy of the Supreme Court’s order to the Sessions Court this week. The order is pointed and specific. It calls for a speedy trial, mandates that minimum facilities be provided to the accused, and, most significantly, sets a hard deadline: the examination of 60 key witnesses must be completed within one year. Not as a goal. As a requirement.
For a case that has moved at the pace this one has, that timeline represents a genuine jolt. Sixty witnesses in twelve months means this court cannot afford long gaps between hearings, routine postponements, or the kind of procedural inertia that tends to quietly swallow high-profile criminal trials in India. The Sessions Court now has to sit with this order and figure out how it intends to actually comply. That decision is expected to come soon.
The Bail Question Hanging Over the High Court
Running alongside all of this is a separate matter at the Karnataka High Court, and it is no small thing. The prosecution had moved a petition seeking cancellation of bail for five of the accused who are currently out of custody. The High Court heard it at length and has now reserved its verdict.
A copy of the Supreme Court order has also been placed before the High Court. Read into that what you will, but the timing is notable. The apex court is pushing for speed and accountability in the trial process, and the High Court is now sitting with that context as it decides whether five accused individuals should remain free.
If bail gets cancelled, the complexion of the trial changes. If it holds, the prosecution carries on building its case against accused who are walking free. Either way, the verdict, when it lands, will send a signal.
Monday Is the Date to Watch
The next court date is Monday, and both threads of this legal story could converge there. The 59th Sessions Court will need to begin mapping out how it plans to meet the Supreme Court’s witness examination timeline. That is not a simple calendar exercise. It requires coordination, scheduling, and a judge willing to hold the line when delays come, and they will come.
The High Court verdict on the bail cancellation petition could also arrive around this period. Legal circles in Bengaluru are watching both developments closely. So is most of Karnataka, frankly.
How It Started, and Why It Still Matters
For anyone who needs the background: Renukaswamy, a resident of Chitradurga and by all accounts a devoted fan of Darshan, was allegedly abducted, tortured, and killed in June 2024. His body was pulled from a stormwater drain near Sumanahalli in Bengaluru. He was not a public figure. He was an ordinary man, and the brutality of what reportedly happened to him is what made this case impossible to look away from.
Darshan Thoogudeepa, one of Kannada cinema’s more recognisable faces, was arrested shortly after and has remained in custody since. Several co-accused followed. Pavithra Gowda, reportedly in a relationship with Darshan at the time, was also arrested and named as an accused. Five others got bail.
The case has never really left the public eye. Every hearing, every development has drawn scrutiny, and the Supreme Court’s decision to step in with binding timelines is widely understood as a signal that the apex court had seen enough delay.
As it turns out, the next phase of this trial could be its most decisive. A new court, a one-year witness deadline, and a High Court verdict on bail, all of it converging at once.
Monday will say a lot.
Stay ahead with Hindustan Herald — bringing you trusted news, sharp analysis, and stories that matter across Politics, Business, Technology, Sports, Entertainment, Lifestyle, and more.
Connect with us on Facebook, Instagram, X (Twitter), LinkedIn, YouTube, and join our Telegram community @hindustanherald for real-time updates.
Covers films, television, streaming, and celebrity culture with a focus on storytelling trends.
- Ayesha Khan
- Ayesha Khan
- Ayesha Khan
- Ayesha Khan
Arun Upadhayay 
Ananya Sharma