About a dozen photos allegedly depicting the murder of Renuka Swamy by actor Darshan Tugudeepa were circulated in the public domain on Thursday.
The pictures, reportedly from the crime scene, shed light on the torture inflicted on the victim by the actor and his associates before Renuka Swamy succumbed to his injuries on June 8 this year in Bengaluru.
Currently, the actor, along with his 16 associates, including his girlfriend Pavithra Gowda, is in judicial custody.
The police submitted a charge sheet against the accused to the 24th Additional Metropolitan Magistrate in Bengaluru on Wednesday.
Renuka Swamy is alleged to have been murdered by the actor and his accomplices due to the victim sending lewd pictures to Pavithra Gowda, Darshan's girlfriend.
Enraged by the inappropriate pictures, the actor reportedly ordered his associates to bring Renuka Swamy to Bengaluru from Chitradurga, about 250 km away.
In one of the photos, the victim, Renuka Swamy, is seen shirtless, pleading for mercy, but his pleas went unanswered as the actor and his associates brutally assaulted him, leading to his death.
The victim's body was later dumped by the roadside in Sumanahalli, Bengaluru, under the jurisdiction of the Kamakshipalya police station. A security guard discovered the body in a pile of garbage and alerted the police.
Other photos showed Renuka Swamy's body with visible injuries to his head, face, and body.
The car used to transport his body was also pictured before it was discarded by the actor's associates. Bruise marks on the victim’s body indicated that he had been beaten with sticks by the associates.
During the investigation, police identified several of Darshan's associates involved in the murder. Following this, the actor was arrested by the police in Mysuru, his hometown.
The victim's father, Kashinath Shivanagouda, told reporters that those responsible should be punished according to the law.
