Sexual abuse case: Murugha Math seer arrested by Karnataka police
Shivamurthy Murugha Sharanaru was arrested by police after an interrogation shortly after his detention on Thursday, and proper procedures were followed later that night, as per the source. The case's investigation officer, Deputy Superintendent of Police Anil Kumar, questioned the pontiff of one of the state's most prominent and influential Lingayat seminaries at an undisclosed location.
FollowThe chief pontiff of Murugha Math, Shivamurthy Murugha Sharanaru, was arrested for alleged sexual abuse of high school girls and sent to judicial custody for 14 days, according to police.
He was arrested by police after an interrogation, said sources, shortly after the arrest on Thursday, adding that proper procedures were followed later that night.
Deputy Superintendent of Police Anil Kumar, the case's investigation officer, questioned the pontiff of one of the state's most prominent and influential Lingayat seminaries at an undisclosed location.
After being examined at the district hospital, he was later brought before the first additional district and sessions judge at her home.
The judge remanded the seer in judicial custody for 14 days, after which he was transferred to the district prison, according to Chitradurga Superintendent Of Police Parasuram.
A local court earlier on Thursday adjourned the seer's anticipatory bail plea to September 2.
For the alleged sexual abuse, Mysuru city police filed an FIR against the seer under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and certain sections of the Indian Penal Code.
Based on a complaint from a District Child Protection Unit officer, an FIR was filed against five people, including the warden of the monastery's hostel. On Thursday, police questioned the warden.
Two girls approached a non-governmental organisation in Mysuru and told them about the alleged abuse; the organisation then approached the authorities, and the case was registered with the police. The case was transferred to Chitradurga as the alleged crime occurred there.
As one of the victims is from the SC community, the seer was charged under both the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Acts.
The seer had previously claimed that the allegations against him were part of a long-running conspiracy, that he was law-abiding, and that he would cooperate with the investigation. There were many protests demanding the seer's arrest.
Following the arrest, the police have made extensive security arrangements in Chitradurga.
(With inputs from PTI)
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