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Karnataka's Murugha mutt seer arrested in sexual assault case
Shivamurthy Murugha Sharanaru, chief pontiff of the influential Lingayat mutt has been booked under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO) for alleged sexual abuse of two high school girls.
The chief pontiff of Sri Murugha Mutt, Shivamurthy Murugha Sharanaru, accused of sexually assaulting minors, was arrested on Thursday evening. He was earlier taken to a police station. The arrest was confirmed by Alok Kumar, ADGP, law and order.
Kumar said the chief pontiff of the influential Lingayat mutt will be produced before judge. “Medical test and investigation will be done as per the procedure,” he added.
The development comes in the wake of a massive uproar over the issue with allegations being raised that the Basavaraj Bommai-led government is not doing enough.
The top religious leader has been booked under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO) for alleged sexual abuse of two high school girls.
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Earlier in the day, a Karnataka court adjourned to Friday the hearing of an anticipatory bail plea by the Muruga Math seer, even as a group of advocates sought a probe under the high court's supervision.
Political parties in the poll-bound state have so far treaded carefully on the charges against Sharanaru.
A group of advocates has written to the Registrar General of the Karnataka High Court claiming that the investigation against the accused seer "is not being carried out in an unbiased, free and fair manner."
Sharanaru, who had applied for anticipatory bail on Monday, was additionally charged under the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act on Tuesday as one of the two victims was from the SC community.
(With agency inputs)
