The investigation into the intimidation of a key witness in the Chitradurga Renukaswamy murder case has brought several startling details to light. Following allegations that three individuals, including an accused named Puneeth, threatened crucial witnesses in the high-profile murder case, police swiftly arrested the trio. During the subsequent interrogation, Puneeth reportedly staged a high drama while trying to deflect the investigation.
According to police sources, the key witness, Sandeep, works at a private bar in Tumakuru. On June 25, an individual named Akarsh called Sandeep out under the pretext of needing to talk. Sandeep was then forced into a car where four individuals intensively questioned him about court proceedings and what statements he had given to the authorities.
The intimidation escalated when a lawyer reportedly contacted Sandeep via a WhatsApp call, pressuring him to alter his testimony in court to align with their narrative. The perpetrators allegedly instructed Sandeep to claim complete ignorance about the accused individuals—Anukumar, Jagadish, and Raghavendra. They coerced him to testify that three days after Renukaswamy's death, the Kamakshipalya police had simply come to his bar, seized the CCTV footage and DVR, and made him sign paperwork without him knowing any actual details of the crime.
During his interrogation, the accused Puneeth maintained a stance of total denial, claiming he knew nothing and that nobody had instructed him to issue threats. To uncover the digital trail, the police have secured Puneeth's custody for five days and have sent his mobile phone to the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) for detailed analysis.
