Kannada film star Darshan detained in murder case, questioned by police

Leading Kannada film actor Darshan Thoogudeepa has been arrested in an alleged murder case, police sources said on Tuesday. The 47-year-old was picked up from a hotel in Mysuru in connection with the murder of a man, identified as Renuka Swamy, on June 9 coming under the Kamakshipalya police station limits here, the sources said.

After the alleged killing, the body of Swamy, who worked with a pharmacy company and hailed from the district headquarters town of Chitradurga, was thrown into a stormwater drain in Kamakshipalya. It is alleged that the deceased had made some derogatory comments against a film actress in a social media post.

Police came to know about the murder after some local residents alerted them. The body was sent for an autopsy and the forensic report confirmed that he was murdered, the sources said. Further investigation led to the arrest of some suspects, who spilled the beans, a police official said.

Based on their statement, police detained Darshan, sources said. Investigations are into whether the actor was directly involved in the murder or was part of the conspiracy, the sources added. Police have provided tight security at Darshan's house at RR Nagar here.

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