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Dharmasthala Mass Burial Gag Order Case Shifts to New Bench as Media Pursue High Court Appeals

Judge Vijaya Kumar Rai stepped aside after revelations of his ties to the temple administration.

File photo of one of the entrances to Dharmasthala | Sharan Poovanna | ThePrint
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Overview

  • Judge Vijaya Kumar Rai B recused himself following evidence that he studied at an institution run by the Dharmasthala trust and worked at a law firm representing the temple head.
  • The Principal City Civil and Sessions Judge transferred the defamation suit to the 17th Additional City and Civil Sessions Court after the recusal.
  • On August 1, the Karnataka High Court quashed the civil court’s ex parte injunction removing over 8,800 links and remitted the matter for a fresh hearing without addressing the merits of the burial allegations.
  • On August 6, The News Minute filed writ petitions against two John Doe gag orders from March 22 and July 18, arguing they bypassed notice requirements and threaten press freedom.
  • Procedural hearings are scheduled for the second week of August as media outlets and activists press their appeals on free-speech and procedural grounds.