BENGALURU: The 59th City Civil and Sessions Court, Bengaluru has rejected actor Darshan’s plea seeking permission to appear physically in court instead of attending the proceedings through video conference in the Renukaswamy murder case.
The 59th City Civil and Sessions Court, Bengaluru, directed all accused to continue appearing through video conference. Judge Sujatha Madiwalappa Sambhrani passed the order after hearing arguments from both sides.
Senior advocate Hashmath Pasha, appearing for Darshan, had sought permission for his client to be physically present during the trial. He argued that in-person attendance would help Darshan follow the court’s directions directly during the examination of witnesses.
The defence also raised concerns over the technical arrangements during video hearings, particularly the lack of suitable headphones and communication facilities that would allow the accused to consult their lawyers privately.
Special Public Prosecutor Prasanna Kumar opposed the plea, stating that the law permits the accused to appear through video conference. He also argued that bringing Darshan physically to court could potentially disrupt the proceedings.
After considering the arguments, the court dismissed the plea and retained the existing arrangement for video-conference appearances.
However, the court directed authorities to ensure that the accused have adequate facilities to communicate confidentially with their lawyers whenever required, including before, during and after witness examination.
The court also ordered that proper technical arrangements be made so the accused can clearly hear the evidence and statements of witnesses during proceedings.