The Bengaluru trial court has rejected actor Darshan’s request to postpone the recording of approver Pradosh Rao’s statement in the Renukaswamy murder case.
The Bengaluru trial court rejected Darshan’s plea to defer approver Pradosh Rao’s statement, as his lawyers sought time to approach the Supreme Court after the High Court ruling.
Bengaluru: The trial court hearing the Renukaswamy murder case has dismissed actor Darshan Thoogudeepa’s application seeking to postpone the recording of the statement of approver Pradosh S Rao.
Darshan’s lawyers had sought additional time to approach the Supreme Court after the Karnataka High Court upheld Pradosh’s status as an approver. The High Court had dismissed a challenge to the trial court’s order allowing Pradosh to become a prosecution witness.
Renukaswamy Murder Case: Darshan Seeks Time To Approach Supreme Court
The trial court had scheduled the recording of Pradosh’s statement for September 28. Darshan’s legal team requested that the proceedings involving Pradosh be deferred while allowing the prosecution to continue recording statements of other witnesses.
The defence argued that it needed at least 10 days to prepare and file an application before the Supreme Court. It also sought to have Pradosh examined as the seventh witness after the other witnesses were recorded.
Pradosh, who was earlier an accused in the case, was granted pardon by the Bengaluru court and made an approver on September 16. The Karnataka High Court subsequently upheld the decision, while clarifying that Darshan would retain the right to cross-examine him during the trial.
Prosecution Opposes Delay In Pradosh Statement
Government lawyer Sachin opposed Darshan’s request, arguing that there was no new information or circumstance warranting a postponement.
The prosecution submitted that Pradosh had been summoned on September 24 and that the summons was issued after the High Court proceedings. It therefore sought rejection of the application and continuation of the scheduled proceedings.
The court subsequently dismissed Darshan’s plea to postpone the recording of Pradosh’s statement.
The Renukaswamy murder trial is continuing before the Bengaluru sessions court. Pradosh’s evidence is expected to be subject to cross-examination by the accused, including Darshan, in accordance with the court’s directions.
