The abuse followed her social media posts sharing updates related to Supreme Court proceedings in the murder case involving actor Darshan.
Published Jul 30, 2025 | 11:24 AM ⚊ Updated Jul 30, 2025 | 11:24 AM
Shiva Rajkumar extends support to Ramya amid online abuse. (X)
Kannada superstar Shiva Rajkumar on Tuesday, 29 July, extended his support to actor-MP Divya Spandana, popularly known as Ramya, after she filed a police complaint in Bengaluru after receiving a barrage of obscene and threatening messages on Instagram.
The abuse followed her social media posts sharing updates related to Supreme Court proceedings in the murder case involving actor Darshan.
In a note shared on his social media handles, Shiva Rajkumar condemned the online abuse, and wrote: “The words used against Ramya are condemnable. It is not right to speak like that against any woman; we should not tolerate it. It is very important to respect women as mothers, sisters, daughters, wives and first and foremost as individuals.”
The note further read, “Social media is a very powerful weapon, it should be used for one’s own advancement and not to abuse them with unspeakable words and sow hatred and jealousy. Your stand is right, Ramya. We will always stand with you.”
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In a formal written complaint addressed to the Commissioner of Police, Bengaluru, Spandana alleged that she began receiving the abusive messages after she posted media coverage of the Supreme Court’s hearing on the Karnataka government’s plea seeking cancellation of the bail granted to actor Darshan.
“Disgruntled fans of actor Darshan, by act of mine of sharing the news reporting of the Hon’ble Supreme Court proceedings, have sent scandalous, ghastly and obnoxious messages to my Instagram handle through various accounts. The messages sent to me are so disgusting and misogynistic that I am unable to even reproduce the same in the complaint,” Spandana wrote in the complaint.
She has submitted a list of 43 Instagram handles from which the abusive messages were allegedly sent.
“The messages and the posts put by the fans of actor Darshan are outrageous, affecting my modesty as a woman. The obscene language used in those texts is scurrilous, lewd and filthy; they impend a direct threat to my life,” the complaint further stated.
Urging immediate action, she requested the police to take stringent measures against the accused. She also sought the removal of the offensive posts and Instagram accounts cited.
“I have been assured by the police that they will take appropriate action as soon as possible, so I’m hopeful we’ll get justice. With this I’d like to send a message, we all use social media, it’s the women who are suffering daily with sexual assaults, murder or online harassment,” she said, speaking to the media after filing the complaint.
“It’s not just for me. I’ve filed this complaint on behalf of all women who suffer through such abuse daily, so I hope we get justice.”
Darshan was arrested on 11 June 2024 in connection with the murder of Renukaswamy, a resident of Chitradurga.
The victim’s body was found near a stormwater drain on the outskirts of Bengaluru, bearing multiple injury marks.
Darshan was reportedly angered after Renukaswamy sent obscene messages to Pavithra Gowda and had him abducted and killed in a parking shed.
The actor and several of his close associates were arrested, after an attempt by Darshan to get others to take responsibility for the killing and surrender in his stead for a promise of money failed.
After spending nearly four and a half months in judicial custody, the Karnataka High Court granted him interim bail for six weeks to undergo spine surgery, on 30 October 2024.
On 13 December 2024, Karnataka High Court granted regular bail to to the actor and several co-accused.
The court required him to surrender his passport and execute a personal bond of ₹2 lakh with two sureties for the same amount.
