The Supreme Court on Thursday cautioned that granting leniency to individuals with considerable influence or celebrity status, despite facing serious charges, sends the wrong message to society and erodes public confidence in the justice system [State of Karnataka v Sri Darshan etc].
A Bench of Justices JB Pardiwala and R Mahdevan said that celebrities serve as social role models, making their accountability greater.
“The Constitution of India enshrines equality before law under Article 14, and mandates that no individual – however wealthy, influential, or famous – can claim exemption from the rigours of law. A celebrity status does not elevate an accused above the law, nor entitle him to preferential treatment in matters like grant of bail,” read the judgement authored by Justice Mahadevan.
It stressed that popularity cannot be a shield for impunity.
“As this Court held, influence, resources and social status cannot form a basis for granting bail where there is a genuine risk of prejudice to the investigation or trial,” the Court observed.
The Bench made these observations while cancelling the bail granted to Kannada actors Darshan Thoogudeepa, Pavithra Gowda and five others in the Renukaswamy murder case.
The Court referred to Darshan receiving VIP treatment inside jail and said that he had subverted the prison system.
“In a democracy governed by the rule of law, no individual is exempt from legal accountability by virtue of status or social capital,” it concluded.
Senior Advocate Siddharth Luthra appeared for the State of Karnataka in the case.
[Read Judgment]