Bengaluru, June 14 : Karnataka Home Minister Dr G. Parameshwara on Friday said that no special treatment was given to Kannada superstar Darshan, who was arrested in a fan murder case, and the police should be given a free hand to probe.

He was reacting to the allegations that royal treatment was given to Darshan and his associates.

Speaking to reporters here, Parameshwara said, 'It will be conveyed to the police to take action in the public's interest and not to trouble the people. However, we must give them a free hand to investigate the matter. It is not possible to provide biryani for accused persons or give them royal treatment. This has not happened, and it should not happen.'

When asked about a 'shamiyana' being installed around the police station to facilitate Darshan's walk, Parameshwara said, 'I inquired with the police about the media's queries regarding installing a shamiyana, putting barricades on the public road, and giving them royal treatment. The police officers assured me they had not done it and wouldn't do it in the future. They have told me that the accused are treated the same as other accused.'

'In my opinion, the police should be given a free hand in the investigation,' he reiterated.

When asked about people not being allowed inside the police station where actor Darshan is kept to lodge their complaints and persons who come for passport verification being sent back, Parameshwara stated that the matter would be looked into.

Including actor Darshan, his 'second wife' Pavithra Gowda, and 11 others, a total of 13 people have been arrested in connection with the brutal murder of 33-year-old Renukaswamy, a resident of Chitradurga. Renukaswamy was kidnapped, brought to Bengaluru, and kept in a shed. He was tortured to death, and his body was later disposed of beside a gutter.

When the police recovered the body and began probing, four accused surrendered and confessed to the murder. After noticing contradictions in their statements, the police grilled them further. They then revealed that they were sent by actor Darshan to misguide the probe.

Further investigations disclosed that Darshan and his associates brutally tortured Renukaswamy because he had sent a derogatory message to Pavithra Gowda on Instagram.

/IANS