High Court stays seer's medical test

The High Court on Monday stayed the medical examination of Raghaveshwara Bharathi, pontiff of Ramachandrapura Mutt at Hosanagara in Shimoga district, in connection with the rape charges against him.

The seer had moved the High Court challenging the notice issued by the Criminal Investigation Department to appear for a medical test on October 21. Contending that the police action amounted to injustice, as the incident dates back to 2010 and it was not suitable to subject the pontiff to medical test after a long delay, the petitioner pointed out that the investigating agency had not specified the kind of test the seer should undergo.

Stating that it was also a violation of his fundamental rights and privacy, the seer said the proposed medical test was an attempt to malign his image.

Counsel for the victim, Shankarappa, urged the court to set aside the petition and said the seer should be subjected to medical examination.

Justice Ananda Byra Reddy, who heard the matter, stayed the medical test and observed, “If the accused was arrested and immediately subjected to test, it would have helped the investigations. Subjecting him to a test now will not help and there is no valid reason for conducting it.”

When the court found that the State government had not filed any objections, Justice Reddy observed, “Usually, the interim order is granted after the objections are filed by the other side. But since the delay will render the petition infructuous, this court is granting interim stay.”The court has also ordered notice to the State government.