Bengaluru, 23 May

Kannada actor Darshan Thoogudeepa, already facing legal scrutiny in the Renukaswamy murder case, has landed in fresh trouble. The forest department has issued summons to him and his wife Vijaya Lakshmi for allegedly keeping exotic birds at their farmhouse on T Narasipura Road in Mysuru.

The issue came to light in 2024 after Darshan, currently out on bail in the murder case, was seen in a media interview, showcasing bar-headed geese – classified as migratory and protected under the Wildlife Protection Act. Following the video, forest officials raided his farmhouse in Kempayana Hundi and seized the birds.

Darshan reportedly claimed that the birds were gifted to him by friends. However, bar-headed geese, which originate from Central Asia, is a protected species and cannot be kept in captivity without special permissions.

A case was registered under relevant wildlife laws, and the matter is now before a court in Mysuru district. The summons instructs Darshan and his wife to appear before the court on 4 July for a hearing.

Sources said Darshan’s farmhouse also houses cows, oxen, horses, parrots and other birds, increasing chances of further scrutiny.

Darshan and 16 others, including actress Pavithra Gowda, were arrested in June 2024 in the murder case.