Indian Kannada film superstar Darshan Thoogudeepa has been in custody for the past 10 days, implicated in a crime that mirrors a film plot.
He is among 17 individuals arrested for the murder of Renukaswamy, a 33-year-old fan, whose body was found in a drain, India Today reported.
Fan Allegedly Sent Messages To GF
Bengaluru Police Commissioner B Dayananda described the murder as “brutal and barbaric,” calling it a “heinous crime.”
Police suspect that the 47-year-old actor was enraged with Renukaswamy, who worked at a pharmacy, for allegedly sending inappropriate messages on social media to actress and Darshan’s girlfriend.
Actor Paid $36,000
The suspects face charges including murder, kidnapping, destruction of evidence, and criminal conspiracy.
Authorities have not officially disclosed the evidence against Darshan and the others, but local media reports attribute dramatic claims to police sources.
Darshan paid $36,000 to his fan club to lure the fan for a meeting where they were asked to kill him, reports said.