Renukaswamy murder case: Darshan among accused in eight key photos submitted by police

City police investigating the brutal murder of Chitradurga-based salesman S. Renukaswamy, 33, have filed a supplementary charge sheet in a local court, presenting critical evidence that could play a decisive role in the case.

Eight photos purportedly show the accused, Darshan, and three other people inside the Pattanagere shed where Renukaswamy was beaten to death on June 8, 2024. According to The Indian Express, the most recent charge sheet was filed on Saturday.


According to a senior police officer, these photos, taken by a security guard at the shed, were deleted but later recovered during the investigation. The photos depict Darshan, Jagadish, Ravishankar, and Raghavendra standing in the shed just before leaving the crime scene. The officer noted, “The photos were deleted, and we retrieved them. Moments before leaving, the accused asked the security guard to click the pictures, which have now become pivotal evidence.”


The charge sheet spans 1,300 pages and includes over 650 pages of call detail records (CDRs) of the accused individuals. It supplements the first charge sheet, which was filed in September and comprised seven volumes with over 3,991 pages, including eight forensic reports from Bengaluru's Forensic Science Laboratory and Hyderabad's Central Forensic Science Laboratory, as well as DNA evidence.


Among the accused is Dhanaraj, also known as Raju, a cable worker from Mandya, who allegedly administered electric shocks to Renukaswamy using a megger device. His delayed arrest became a point of contention, with the defense arguing it was an afterthought. The police clarified in the charge sheet that Dhanaraj fled to Goa and nearby locations immediately after the incident, necessitating multiple teams to track him down.


In this case, 17 people have been taken into custody. They are accused of murder, kidnapping, criminal conspiracy, and evidence destruction.