Chitradurga, August 29: The Chitradurga Police on Monday detained Murugha Mutt seer Shivamurthy Sharanaru after two girls accused him of sexual assault. An FIR was lodged against the seer under various sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO).
There were speculations about his detention following his ‘disappearance’ from the mutt on August 29 morning, the seer of Brihan mutt in Chitradurga, Sri Shivamurthy Murugha Sharanaru, returned to the mutt after noon and clarified that he has no intention of evading the law of the land.
Speaking to devotees and the media on his return, the seer said he doesn’t believe in escapism and will respect the law of the land.
He said that a conspiracy has been hatched against him for 15 years and now it is coming to a logical end. “We will find a solution to it soon. We have to understand the law of the land and give all support to implement it. No need to be afraid of anything,” he told devotees gathered at the mutt.
The pontiff was taken into custody near Bankapur in Haveri district on the national highway when he was reportedly travelling to Maharashtra.
Karnataka chief minister Basavaraj Bommai on Sunday declined to comment on the allegations against the seer and the case as “the investigation is on”.
“This is an important case under POCSO Act and also a kidnap case in Chitradurga the police have registered both the cases and investigations are on. In such a situation, making comments or interpreting the case is not good for investigation,” Bommai told reporters. “The police have complete freedom. They will investigate and the truth will come out.”
The Mysuru city police filed an FIR against the chief pointiff under the POCSO Act and certain sections of the Indian Penal Code, for alleged sexual abuse of high school girls. The FIR was registered against five people, including the warden of the monastery’s hostel, based on the complaint by an officer of the District Child Protection Unit.
The girls are said to have approached ‘Odanadi Seva Samsthe’, a non-governmental organisation based in Mysuru, and narrated the abuse they had gone through during the counselling, following which it approached the authorities and the case was registered by the police.
Murugha Mutt Advisory Committee member N B Vishwanath had alleged that the mutt’s administrative officer SK Basavarajan, a former MLA, was behind the charge. A case of sexual harassment and kidnapping was registered against Basavarajan in Chitradurga on a complaint from a woman, who is said to be a staff at the mutt.
