In a significant development related to the Renukaswamy murder trial involving actor Darshan, investigators discovered that chat histories and call records were missing from the mobile phones of the arrested suspects. The Kamakshipalya Police found that data had been erased from the devices, including WhatsApp, Instagram, and Facebook conversations, raising suspicions of witness intimidation.
The seized mobile phones will undergo forensic examination at the Forensic Science Laboratory to recover the deleted data. Authorities are probing whether the missing information contains evidence of a conspiracy to threaten a key prosecution witness. The prime accused, Punith, denies any involvement in the alleged threats and is in police custody for further questioning.
Police suspect a group instructed Punith to intimidate the witness, Sandeep, but the accused claim ignorance of the incident. Punith’s phone is also being analyzed forensically. Investigators are looking into possible support from film producers in witness intimidation, collecting evidence to substantiate these suspicions.
Following the arrests of Punith, Venu, and Suhas for threatening Sandeep, a crucial prosecution witness, the police are investigating the case further. Sandeep, a key witness due to his presence at a crucial location before the murder, was allegedly coerced into silence by the accused. The trial court intervened after the witness intimidation came to light, leading to the suspects’ apprehension.
The police are exploring potential involvement of others in the witness intimidation scheme and await forensic reports on the seized phones to shed light on the case.
