Leading Kannada film actor Darshan Thoogudeepa and his close friend and actress Pavithra Gowda were arrested on Tuesday in connection with the murder of a man who allegedly made “derogatory” comments against her, police sources said.

The police questioned the “Challenging Star” and 12 others after taking them into custody in connection with the alleged murder of the man, identified as Renukaswamy, whose body was found here on June nine. Later, they all were arrested.

They were produced before a Bengaluru Magistrate court, which remanded them to seven days police custody.

It is alleged that Renukaswamy, who worked with a pharma company and hailed from the district headquarters town of Chitradurga, had made “derogatory” comments against Gowda in social media posts, the sources said.