The Supreme Court set aside the Karnataka High Court order granting bail to Kannada actor Darshan in the Renukaswamy murder case.
Justice Mahadevan, delivering the main judgment, held that the High Court’s order suffered from perversity, noting that it had improperly evaluated witness statements, a function reserved for the trial court.
Concurring, Justice J.B. Pardiwala described the ruling as “ineffable” and carrying a strong message that “however big the accused may be, he or she is not above the law.” He stressed that the justice system must always uphold the rule of law, remarking, “No man is above law or below it. Nor do we ask anyone’s permission when we obey it.”