Bengaluru: Woman accusing Ramachandrapura Mutt seer Raghaveshwara Bharati Swami of rape, has filed a petition in the High Court and sought transfer of the case to another judge.

The petition said it is a well-settled law that cases of atrocities on women shall be, as far as practicable, tried by a woman presiding officer.

“Strangely, it is found that though there are several women presiding officers available in Bengaluru, the present sessions judge was notified to try the cases of atrocities on women,” the petition said.

The case is now pending before the Additional Sessions Judge (CCH-54), Bengaluru.

The present judge, on February 6, had commented in the open court that he would not subject the seer to any medical test and this had resulted in apprehension that a fair trial may not be conducted in the case.

The petitioner has claimed that the sessions judge, before hearing the State and the seer, had remarked that it was not ready to cancel the bail which indicated that he has prejudged the case. Justice Pradeep D Waingankar adjourned the matter till Monday.

The woman, who was a singer in a troupe at his Shivamogga district-based Ramachandrapura Mutt, had accused the seer of raping her several times at different places, including the Mutt’s branch here.