The Renukaswamy murder case has taken a serious turn after co-accused Pradosh S. Rao sought permission to become an approver and said he would give a complete version of the events leading to the alleged murder.
Rao, who is accused No. 14, has allegedly made serious allegations about Kannada actor Darshan Thoogudeepa's alleged role in the assault and subsequently events. These are allegations in an approver application and have not been proven as facts by a court.
What did Pradosh Rao allegedly tell the Court?
According to reports in Rao's application, he claimed that Renukaswamy was being assaulted when Darshan arrived at the shed in Bengaluru.
Rao told the court that Darshan repeatedly kicked Renukaswamy and at one point stood on him. He also said he warned that continuing the assault could lead to Renukaswamy’s death, but that the attack continued as expected.
Rao also claimed that Darshan gave him Renukaswamy's phone and asked him to check if the victim had sent messages to other women.
According to the report, Rao found out later that Renukaswamy had died. The body was then placed in a vehicle and taken to a place near a drain.
These claims are part of Rao’s request for pardon and to be a prosecution witness; they are not a judicial finding of guilt against Darshan.
Why does Pradosh want to become an Approver?
An approver is the accused person who may be given a pardon and for which the circumstances of an offence and those involved are described in detail.
Rao has approached the court under the legal provision for pardon of an accused who is willing to give evidence for the prosecution. If the court on the whole approves his application and grants him pardon, his testimony will play a key role in the prosecution.
Karnataka High Court has the greatest ruling.
The development is also accompanied by a very important decision of Karnataka High Court.
Darshan had challenged a sessions court ruling that prevented him from filing objections to Rao's application to become an approver. On August 14, the High Court dismissed Darshan's petition.
Justice M. Nagaprasanna held that a co-accused does not have an automatic right to participate in proceedings at the stage when another accused is seeking pardon and permission to become an approver.
The ruling does not mean that Rao has already been granted approver status. The trial court still has to decide his application.
Darshan and Pavithra Gowda among accused
Darshan and actress Pavithra Gowda are among 17 accused in the case related to the death of Renukaswamy.
Renukaswamy, a 33-year-old man from Chitradurga, died in June 2024 after he was kidnapped and assault in Bengaluru. The incident was linked to messages he had sent to Pavithra Gowda, police said.
Darshan has denied the allegations and the accused remain entitled to the presumption of innocence until proven guilty.
What happens next? (
What is of key interest is the trial court's decision regarding Pradosh Rao’s approver application.
If Rao is granted pardon and becomes a prosecution witness, his testimony might have a big impact on the ongoing case. His allegations would then have to be tested through the judicial process (novel evidence and cross-examination).
However, Karnataka High Court’s decision has just made it clear that Darshan and the other co-accused cannot oppose Rao's approver application at this stage of this stage.
The Renukaswamy murder trial is ongoing and the allegations made in Rao's application should not be treated as proven facts unless established in court.
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