BANGALORE: Bharati Urs, daughter of late D. Devaraj Urs, former Chief Minister, has filed an application in the Karnataka High Court seeking a review of its order dismissing her criminal petition for transfer of her trial in the Chitralekha Urs murder case to another court.

The High Court had dismissed Ms. Urs's petition seeking a stay on the proceedings in the murder case and their transfer. She had complained against the presiding officer of a Sessions Court in Bangalore, where she is one of the accused in the case related to the murder of Chitralekha Urs, daughter of former Judge of the Karnataka High Court M.P. Chandrakant Raje Urs.

Ms. Urs said that when her cousin, Chitralekha, who was staying in Bangalore was reported missing, Chitralekha's sister, Hema Mandanna, filed a missing-person complaint with the city police. Ms. Urs said she and two others were arrested on March 9, 2004 on charges of murdering Chitralekha. She said she has been lodged in Central Jail, Bangalore.

Ms. Urs alleged that the police have foisted the case on her. The police said she had taken a loan of Rs. 65 lakhs from Chitralekha and had not repaid it. She had issued post-dated cheques and promissory notes. Chitralekha had been demanding repayment of the loan.

According to the police, Ms. Urs asked Chitralekha to a come to a place in High Grounds police station limits on January 19, 2004. Ms. Urs, the police alleged, hired T. Madhukumar and L.N. Chandrakanth to murder Chitralekha. The decomposed body of Chitralekha was found near Shiradi Ghat in Hassan district.

The police prepared the charges against Ms. Urs and others before the First Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate in August 2005. The case was committed before a Court of Sessions, Metropolitan area, Bangalore.

In her criminal petition, Ms. Urs had alleged that the presiding officer of the Sessions Court made sarcastic remarks against her. On one occasion when she was ill, he made her wait for hours outside the court hall, she said. She said she believed she would not get a fair and impartial trial and sought transfer of the case.

Justice Hulavadi G. Ramesh had dismissed the petition. In the review petition, Ms. Urs has sought recall of the order so that her counsel will be able to argue the matter at length. The review will be heard by Justice Ramesh.

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