Dharmasthala Burial Case: Trial Judge Recuses Pointing Out He Studied In Law College Run By Veerendra Heggade Family

A trial court judge who passed an ex-parte interim gag order in the Dharmasthala burial case has recused stating that he studied at a law college run by Veerendra Heggade's family.

Additional City Civil and Sessions Judge Vijay Kumar Rai had earlier restrained the media and YouTube channels from publishing "defamatory content" against Harshendra Kumar D–brother of Dharmasthala Dharmadhikari Veerendra Heggade, his family members, institutions run by the family and the Sri Manjunathaswamy temple Dharmasthala.

Subsequently, journalist Naveen Soorinje–one of the parties affected by the gag order, contended that the judge was the student of SDM Law College, Mangaluru managed by 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 defendant 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.”

Notably, the Karnataka High Court had on August 1 quashed the ex-parte gag order passed against YouTube Channel 'Kudla Rampage' and referred the matter back to the trial court to consider the relief afresh.

Other defendants in the case have already approached the trial court seeking to vacate the interim order, hearing on which was ongoing.

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