Bengaluru: A policewoman is under scrutiny after an investigation revealed that small-time Kannada actress Pavithra Gowda used cosmetics during her detention in the Renukaswamy murder case.
Pavitha, 33, was arrested along with her friend and Kannada film star Darshan Thoogudeepa and 15 others for the murder of Chitradurga resident Renukaswamy earlier this month.
She was the only woman arrested and was held at a separate detention centre for women. A woman police sub-inspector was deputed to bring her daily to the Annapoorneshwari police station for questioning.
S Girish, Deputy Commissioner of Police (West), said Pavithra likely kept her makeup kit at the detention centre.
"The woman PSI used to go there every morning, pick her up and get her to the Annapoorneshwari Nagar police station. The woman PSI should have noticed this and prevented her from doing so. For this negligence, she has been given a notice for explanation," Girish said.
Police typically do not allow suspects to carry personal belongings during custodial interrogation.
Darshan to lose gun licence?
It is unclear if Darshan has a firearms licence but a senior police officer said any person with a criminal record, especially those arrested for offences involving body harm, would have their gun licence revoked.
If Darshan possesses any firearms, investigators will request Bengaluru Police Commissioner B Dayananda to revoke the licence, the officer said.
Four sent to Tumakuru jail
Four suspects arrested in the Renukaswamy case — Karthik (accused number 15), Nikhil Nayak (A17), Keshavamurthy (A16) and Ravishankar (A8) — were transferred to the Tumakuru prison on Wednesday following a court order.
Special Public Prosecutor P Prasanna Kumar had moved a plea for their transfer to Tumakuru last week.
"The said accused were contacted by the other co-accused to agree that they committed the murder. Therefore, there is a likely threat to their lives if they continue staying at the Parappana Agrahara Central Prison in Bengaluru," Kumar had argued.
The court approved the request.