The Karnataka High Court on Wednesday granted interim bail to actor Darshan Thoogudeepa for six weeks to undergo surgery, Bar and Bench reported.
Thoogudeepa has been in jail since his arrest on June 11 in connection with the murder of a 33-year-old man named Renukaswamy, who was a fan of the actor.
On Wednesday, a single-judge bench of Justice S Vishwajith Shetty permitted Thoogudeepa to consult a doctor of his choice, according to Bar and Bench.
Shetty also directed the actor to submit the doctor’s opinion, information about the surgery, hospital admission and other relevant details to the court within a week.
On October 28, the bench reserved its orders on the petition for interim bail after hearing arguments from Thoogudeepa’s counsel and the state government.
During the earlier proceedings, the state government had submitted reports after the actor was examined by doctors from the Bellary Central Prison and the Bellary Government Hospital.
Subsequently, the court noted that the reports recommended surgery for him to address medical issues related to his spine and feet.
Senior Advocate S Nagesh, representing Thoogudeepa, asked the bench to allow him to undergo the surgery at the Apollo Hospital in Mysuru, adding that the actor would pay for all the medical expenses incurred at the private facility, Bar and Bench reported.
However, the state government, represented by State Public Prosecutor P Prasanna Kumar, opposed the application for interim bail and said that while the reports recommended surgery, they did not provide details on how many days the actor would have to be admitted at the hospital.
Thoogudeepa should initially be examined by a medical board and then undergo the surgery at a government hospital, Kumar added, according to Bar and Bench.
On October 14, a trial court rejected Thoogudeepa’s petition for regular bail in connection with the murder case. This application is pending a hearing before the High Court.
Apart from Thoogudeepa, his partner Pavithra Gowda and 15 others were booked for their alleged involvement in Renukaswamy’s murder.
Renukaswamy had allegedly been sending abusive messages and comments to Gowda. On June 9, his body was recovered from a drain in the Summanahalli area of Bengaluru.
Subsequently, Thoogudeepa was arrested for the alleged murder.
A chargesheet in the matter was filed days after a Bengaluru court on August 27 allowed the police to shift Thoogudeepa to the Ballari district prison from Parappana Agrahara Central Jail in Bengaluru as reports emerged that he was being given preferential treatment in custody.
Nine central jail officials in Bengaluru were suspended after a photograph showing Thoogudeepa sitting on a prison lawn in the company of three other inmates was widely shared on social media.
The recording of a video call allegedly made by the actor from prison was also widely shared online, prompting the Prisons and Correctional Services Department to launch an investigation.
Three first information reports were filed in the matter, including one against Thoogudeepa.
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