Bengaluru: Kannada actor Darshan, currently in judicial custody in connection with the murder of his fan Renukaswamy, broke down during a court appearance on Tuesday. Presented before the 64th City Civil and Sessions Court via video conference, the actor expressed his anguish over prison conditions, claiming they were unbearable and pleading with the judge to end his suffering.
Darshan lamented that he had not seen sunlight for several days, was living in unhygienic surroundings with fungus, and that his clothes emitted a foul smell. “In such conditions, I cannot survive. Please give me poison; life here is unbearable,” he told the court emotionally. The presiding judge, however, firmly rejected his request, clarifying that such a plea could not be entertained.
The actor was arrested in June 2024 for allegedly kidnapping, torturing, and murdering 33-year-old Renukaswamy from Chitradurga, reportedly after the victim sent obscene messages to Darshan’s associate Pavithra Gowda. While the Karnataka High Court initially granted him bail, the Supreme Court revoked it on August 14, 2025, citing the risk of witness tampering and directing that no special facilities be provided in jail. The court has adjourned the framing of charges against co-accused to September 19, while Darshan appealed for basic amenities like a bed and mattress and requested not to be shifted to Ballari prison.