Calcutta, Oct. 6: The high court turned down a government plea to shift the trial of the Dhantola rape and murder case from the court of additional sessions judge Shyamal Sengupta following a complaint of rape against him, says our legal reporter.

The state claimed one of the victims had alleged before the investigating officer that she had no confidence in the judge.

?The government cannot submit the prayer on the basis of a mere FIR against the judge. The charges against him have not been proved,? Justice P.. Sinha said.

He added the petition was ?misconceived? as it was affirmed by the investigation officer and not by any of the secretaries of the government. ?The state has made the plea on the basis of expression of one of the 120 witnesses of the case,? the court held.