Karnataka High Court rejects Darshan’s plea for opportunity of hearing on application of co-accused to turn approver

The High Court of Karnataka has dismissed actor Darshan's plea for a hearing on an application from one of his co-accused to become an approver in the Renukaswamy murder case, according to court documents. Darshan's petition questioned the August 10 sessions court order in Bengaluru that rejected his request to hear him and other accused on the merits of the application filed by Pradosh S. Rao, accused number 14 in the case.

The sessions court dismissed Darshan's plea, stating that there is no legal right for co-accused to participate in the proceedings or oppose the application as a matter of right. Darshan's lawyer argued that co-accused have a right to be heard before deciding on pardon applications, citing principles of natural justice. However, the special public prosecutor contradicted this, citing previous court judgments on the issue of pardon.

The High Court, citing its earlier decision in the Vinay Kulkarni case, ruled that the co-accused will have a right to question procedural illegality in granting pardon, but not the order granting pardon itself, as per the principles of law laid down in Kulkarni's case.