Karnataka HC sets aside order making Pradosh Rao approver in Renukaswamy case

The Karnataka High Court set aside a trial court order making Pradosh Rao an approver in the Renukaswamy murder case and directed a fresh order within a week. The court cited procedural lapses while partly allowing Kannada actor Darshan's petition

Bengaluru: The Karnataka High Court on Tuesday set aside a Bengaluru trial court order treating Pradosh Rao, accused number 14 in the Renukaswamy murder case, as an approver and remitted the matter to the trial court for a fresh order. Justice M Nagaprasanna pronounced the order after reserving it following a hearing on a petition filed by Kannada actor Darshan, accused number two in the case, challenging the trial court’s decision.

The High Court partly allowed Darshan’s petition and quashed the trial court’s August 25 order allowing Rao to become an approver, as well as its August 20 order seeking a probation officer’s report on Rao. Citing “procedural aberrations”, the single-judge bench directed the trial court to pass a fresh order on Rao’s application under Section 307 of the Code of Criminal Procedure and regulate the procedure in accordance with law. The High Court directed the trial court to pass the fresh order within one week of receiving a copy of its order, taking its observations into account.

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The bench, however, clarified that the trial court need not conduct a fresh hearing and should only pass a fresh order on the application. Darshan and his friend, actress Pavithra Gowda, are among the 17 accused in the Renukaswamy murder case. Darshan is currently in judicial custody.

Earlier, on August 13, the High Court had dismissed a petition filed by Darshan challenging a sessions court order that refused to allow him to file objections to Rao’s application seeking pardon and permission to turn approver.