Karnataka: Lingayat mutt head accused of raping minors sent to four-day police custody

New Delhi: The district sessions court in Karnataka’s Chitradurga on Friday sent the chief pontiff of Sri Murugha Mutt, Shivamurthy Murugha Sharanaru to four-day police custody over rape allegations.

He will remain in police custody till 5 September. The police had requested the bench for 5 days of custody, ANI quoted reports as saying.

Earlier in the day, the mutt head was shifted to a district hospital after complaining
of chest pain from where he was later taken to the district sessions court.

On Thursday, Karnataka Police arrested Sharanaru for the alleged sexual assault of two minor girls.

Karnataka CM Basavraj Bommai said that his government is not liable to answer the allegation of “delayed” arrest of the seer of Sri Murugha Mutt, Shivamurthy Murugha Sharanaru over the alleged sexual assault of two minor girls and added that the state police have been given full freedom in handling of the case.

During a media interaction, CM Bommai said, “We don’t need to answer any allegations. I have already said that everything will be done according to the law. It’s not appropriate to speak now. We have given a free hand to the police and they’re doing their job.”

An FIR under the POCSO Act has been registered against the pontiff of the influential Muruga Mutt in Chitradurga after minor girls made allegations of rape against him.

The FIR has been filed against Shivamurthy Murugha Sharanaru of Murugha Mutt in Chitradurga.

According to the FIR, the girls were abused for over two years. Many leaders of the state and across the country have reacted to this matter.

Speaking about it, Lahar Singh Siroya, BJP Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha said, “This is an extremely shocking and sad development. Each time something like this happens it shakes our confidence in our own surroundings, and in our own people.

As a society, we owe it to ourselves that these allegations are probed thoroughly and impartially.

The Karnataka government and all political parties have to ensure that there are no pulls, pressures, politics and interference in this case. The girls deserve nothing but justice.”

Speaking about the same, Karnataka minister V Somanna on Monday said, “Let the police investigate the case and let the truth come out. It is not appropriate to speak on the case as an investigation is underway,” Somanna said.

With inputs from agencies

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