Watch | Rape-accused Karnataka seer takes to wheelchair on way to cop’s office

The 64-year-old Sharanaru was remanded in police custody for four days against police’s request for five days.

Published on: Sep 2, 2022, 22:30:33 IST

By HT News Desk

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Sri Murugha Mutt's Shivamurthy Murugha Sharanaru, a top religious leader of Karnataka's influential Lingayat community and now an accused in a child sexual abuse case, was on Friday taken to the deputy superintendent of police (SP) office in Challakere in a wheelchair after his medical examination was conducted at a district hospital in the southern state.

In a video shared by news agency ANI, the seer, draped in a white cloth around his saffron attire and wearing a mask, was seen being wheeled to the deputy superintendent’s office. A thick security cover was given from the district hospital, where he was taken earlier in the day after he complained of chest pain.

The district sessions court judge, Komala, said the pontiff would have to come straight from the hospital to the court and a decision on his remand will be taken only after he is presented before the court.

The 64-year-old Sharanaru was remanded in police custody for four days against police’s request for five days.

The chief pontiff of the influential Lingayat mutt, was arrested following protests over alleged inaction for close to a week since the sexual assault case was registered against the head seer of Jagadguru Murugarajendra Vidyapeetha Mutt.

He was booked under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act and the Indian Penal Code for allegedly sexually exploiting two girls studying in the mutt’s schools.

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