New Delhi: Sandalwood actor Darshan Thoogudeepa, the prime accused in the Renukaswamy murder case, has suffered another massive blow in the Supreme Court. Following a highly anticipated bail plea hearing before a two-judge bench comprising Justice J.B. Pardiwala and Justice Vijay Bishnoi, it has become clear that there will be no immediate relief for Darshan. With the prosecution requesting a one-year timeframe to examine crucial witnesses, indications suggest that Darshan's jail term is set to be extended further.
Intense Arguments in Court!
The courtroom witnessed a fierce war of words between the advocates as soon as Darshan's bail application, listed as the third case of the day, came up for hearing.
* Grievance Over Lack of Basic Amenities: Senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, representing Darshan, argued, "Darshan has been in jail ever since the Supreme Court canceled the bail granted to him by the High Court last August. However, he is not being provided even basic amenities in jail and is still kept in a quarantine cell. While other inmates have the freedom to speak with their families, police officers stand right next to Darshan whenever he talks to his family." He expressed strong displeasure against the jail authorities.
* The Judge's Strict Response: Reacting immediately, the judge clarified, "According to the certificate submitted by the officials, all basic amenities are being provided to Darshan as per jail rules. He has already been allowed to meet his family 70 times." However, the judge also questioned the prosecution, asking, "Why is Darshan still kept in a quarantine cell? And why is the witness examination process being delayed so much?"
Status of Witnesses in the Case:
Total Witnesses | Examinations Conducted in Last 7 Months | Remaining Crucial Witnesses | Deadline Requested by Prosecution
| 272 | 10 Witnesses | 60 (Crucial Witnesses) | 1 Year |
"If We Reveal That, Your Bail Might Get Canceled!"
As the judge questioned the delay in the trial, senior advocate Siddharth Luthra, appearing for the prosecution, placed key information before the court. "Following the framing of charges on November 3, at least 150 of the remaining witnesses need to be examined. Among them, we need a timeframe of 1 year to finish examining the 60 most crucial witnesses," Luthra requested.
Objecting to this, Rohatgi stated, "Even after all these days, the examination of eyewitnesses has not been completed." Siddharth Luthra quickly hit back, saying, "We will not state here what you have done regarding the witnesses; if we reveal that, your bail application itself might get dismissed."
Key Directives Issued by the Supreme Court:
After hearing prolonged arguments from both sides, the Supreme Court bench dictated its order, expressing dissatisfaction over the delay in the trial process at the lower court (57th CCH Court).
> * Crackdown on Unnecessary Adjournments: The court issued a strict directive that witness examinations must not be postponed for any unnecessary reasons.
> * 1-Year Timeframe: The Supreme Court has granted a 1-year timeline to the prosecution to swiftly complete the examination of the 60 crucial witnesses.
> * Review of Bail: The judges ordered that if the examination of most of the crucial witnesses is not completed within 1 year, Darshan's bail application can be reconsidered at that time.
Following this order from the Supreme Court, a grim situation has emerged where actor Darshan will have to spend at least another year behind bars. It appears highly unlikely that he will secure bail until the examination of key witnesses is concluded.