Karnataka high court to hear plea against Bharati’s acquittal today

The high court of Karnataka will on Tuesday take up for hearing an appeal against the acquittal of Bharati Urs, daughter of former chief minister D Devaraj Urs, and two others in the sensational Chithralekha Urs murder case.

The appeal was filed by Sharada Urs, Chithralekha’s mother and wife of former chief justice of Karnataka, Chandrakantha Raj Urs.
A city fast track court had, on May 27, acquitted Bharati and two other accused persons, T Madhukar and driver LN Chandrakanth, for want of evidence.

Sharada filed the appeal against this judgement. A division bench comprising justices K Shridhara Rao and Javed Rahim would take up the case for hearing.

Bharathi’s cousin Chithralekha had gone missing on on January 19, 2004. Following a missing complaint filed at the High Grounds police station, the Bangalore police investigated the case and learnt that the last place Chithralekha had visited was the guest house at High Grounds, to meet Bharati.

Chithralekha’s body was later found dumped at Shiradi Ghat, along Bangalore- Mangalore National Highway. Her car was found abandoned in the coastal city.  Subsequently, the three were arrested and remanded in judicial custody.

The deceased woman’s identity was established following a DNA test. Her family doctor too confirmed the identity on the basis of a root canal treatment.

Investigators had then contended that Bharati conspired to eliminate Chithralekha after failing to repay about Rs70 lakh she had borrowed.