Judge recuses from case

High Court judge Justice K N Phaneendra on Thursday recused himself from hearing a petition related to the sexual offence case against Raghaveshwara Bharathi Swami, pontiff of the Ramachandrapura Mutt, after finding that the complainant in the case had written a letter to the President of India, complaining about the ‘delay’ by the bench in passing orders.

The judge said that it would not be appropriate for him to continue hearing the case as the complainant had written to the President, saying that the single judge bench was delaying the pronouncement of the order.

The complainant said that the delay had led to further stay on the arrest of the pontiff. Justice Phaneendra has requested the Chief Justice of the High Court to allot the matter to be heard by another bench.