Principal City Civil And Sessions Judge Transfers Dharmasthala Burial Case To New Bench After Recusal Of Presiding Judge

The Principal City Civil and Session Judge has transferred the case concerning ex parte interim gag order in the Dharmasthala burial case to another judge, for further hearing.

Additional City Civil and Sessions Judge Vijay Kumar Rai, who had earlier restrained the media and YouTube channels from publishing "defamatory content" against Harshendra Kumar D, the brother of Dharmasthala Dharmadhikari Veerendra Heggade, his family members, institutions run by the family and the Sri Manjunathaswamy temple, Dharmasthala, had recused himself from hearing the case. Now the matter will be heard by Judge Anitha M.

This followed after journalist Naveen Soorinje–one of the parties affected by the gag order, contended that the judge was a student of SDM Law College, Mangaluru managed by the family of the plaintiff, Harshendra Kumar.

Though the plaintiff opposed the memo seeking time to file objections to the memo, the trial court without stating anything with regard to the merits of the memo, said: "...it is a matter of fact that around 25 years back the presiding officer of this court was the student of SDM Law College managed by family members of the plaintiff. But the presiding officer of this court had neither seen the plaintiff nor spoken to him either directly or indirectly at any point of time. Admittedly as the presiding officer was a student of SDM Law college managed by the family of the plaintiff and one of the defendants has filed a memo as aforesaid, in order to maintain faith in the judicial system, justice must not only be done, but must also be seen to be done. Having regard to these aspects, though I am neither a party in this suit nor having any personal interest, the court is of the opinion that it is appropriate to request the Hon'ble Prl. City Civil Sessions Judge to place OS No.5185/2025 pending on the file of this court, before any other court as per Sec. 13(2)(b) of Bangalore City Civil Court Act 1979.”