Murder-accused Kannada actor Darshan Thoogudeepa deciding to unfollow all the individuals he used to follow on social media didn't go unnoticed in entertainment circles. According to reports, his six Instagram followers included actor-politician Sumalatha Ambareesh and her son, Abishek.
It is speculated that Darshan has decided to cut off everyone but those who stood by him openly during the tough times.
In the light of the development, Sumalatha’s Instagram story, that read, “And the Oscar for best acting goes to… those who twist the truth, hurt people without remorse, shift the blame, and somehow still see themselves as the hero” was interpreted as a response to Darshan by many netizens.
However, the BJP leader has clarified that her story was a general observation and not particularly targeting Darshan. She didn't consider social media as a tool to target people she knew personally, the veteran actor claimed. It was only after the social media speculations and news broke that she realised that the actor had unfollowed her. The former Mandya MP, who was the first woman to be elected to the Lok Sabha from Karnataka as an Independent, claimed that Darshan shouldn't be judged for his choices. She requested people to refrain from creating unnecessary rumours and controversies.
The Kannada superstar Darshan was arrested on June 11 2024 for allegedly murdering a man called Renukaswamy, who was an ardent fan of the actor. Darshan was angered by Renukaswamy’s alleged derogatory messages to Pavithra Gowda. Another accused in the case, Raghavendra, who is part of Darshan's fan club in Chitradurga, told Renukaswamy that Darshan wanted to meet him, and allegedly brought him to a shed in R.R. Nagar, where he was allegedly tortured and murdered. According to police, Pavithra is the primary accused in the case and she instigated others.
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Renukaswamy's body was recovered on June 9 and it was found near a stormwater drain in Sumanahalli. The autopsy report revealed he died due to shock and haemorrhage caused by multiple blunt injuries.
Full transcript of Sumalatha's latest social media post:
I wish to clarify regarding an unnecessary controversy that has emerged around one of my previous posts. The post was not intended to target anyone; it was merely a simple message shared without any specific purpose.
I do not habitually track who follows or unfollows me. In fact, I only became aware of this development after news about it surfaced in the media.
It is true that Darshan does not follow anyone on Instagram or Twitter. This is his personal choice, and it deserves to be respected without any misinterpretations.
I appeal to everyone to refrain from creating unnecessary controversies around the mother-son relationship. Let us preserve its sanctity and not read more into it than what is necessary. Lastly, I emphasize once again that my post was not directed at anyone, and I never use social media to bring up matters involving my family or close ones.
