‘Unpardonable crime’: BS Yediyurappa on Lingayat seer held for sexual assault

BS Yediyurappa’s course correction on the Lingayat seer came a day after the police filed a charge sheet revealing shocking details about alleged sexual assault of young girls

Former Karnataka chief minister BS Yediyurappa on Tuesday came down heavily on the Lingayat seer accused of rape, Shivamurthy Murugha Sharanaru, saying that the seer has committed an “unpardonable” crime.

Former Karnataka chief minister BS Yediyurappa had come out in defence of Shivamurthy Murugha Sharanaru when the sexual assault allegations were levelled against the Lingayat seer (ANI)

Yediyurappa told reporters in the Udupi district of Karnataka that he didn’t expect the seer to stoop so low. “All should condemn it and the Chitradurga Mutt seer should get stringent punishment,” he said.

Yediyurappa was among those who defended the seer when rape charges were first levelled at the seer. “It is a false charge. There is no truth in it and after the completion of the investigation, he will come out clean,” the senior BJP leader said on August 28.

Yediyurappa’s fresh stand on the seer came a day after the investigation team filed a charge sheet revealing shocking details about the alleged sexual assault of young girls.

In its 694-page charge sheet, the investigation team headed by deputy superintendent of police B Anil alleged that the hostel warden, Rashmi, sent girls to the seer’s room every night where he allegedly touched them appropriately, gave them apples laced with sedatives and allegedly raped them.

Chitradurga superintendent of police (SP) K Parashuram said the seer often went for orphans or children of poor parents who he helped financially. According to the charge sheet, he is alleged to have assaulted 10-15 young girls.

The 64-year-old former pontiff of Jagadguru Murugarajendra Vidyapeetha Mutt has denied the sexual assault charges during his interrogation by the police.