Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi (SP)

Udupi, Dec 28: Henceforth, all legal formalities and hearing relating to the murder of NRI entrepreneur, Bhaskar Shetty, will take place in the chief district and sessions court here.

Legal processes relating to transfer of the case from the additional senior civil court and chief judicial magistrate presided by K Rajesh Karnam to the chief district and sessions court where the current presiding officer if T Venkatesh Naik, were completed on Tuesday December 27. Henceforth, district and sessions court will serve notices and fix dates for hearing in the said case.

On Tuesday, accused, Raeshwari Shetty (50), Navneet Shetty (20), and Niranjan Bhat (26), as well as two persons accused of destruction of evidence who are on bail, Srinivas Bhat (56) and Raghavendra (26) were present in the court. Thereafter, the three main accused were taken back to the district prison at Mangaluru.

As per rule, hearing of criminal cases relating to murder, rape, robbery etc should be conducted in district and sessions court although they are initially heard by the lower courts. Special public prosecutor, M Shantaram Shetty, will be representing the prosecution in the court.