Karnataka: POCSO case filed against Murugha Mutt seer Shivamurthy Murugha Sharanaru

Mysuru City police has filed an FIR against pontiff Shivamurthy Murugha Sharanaru, chief of Murugha mutt in Chitradurga, under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act 2012 for allegedly sexually abusing high school girls.

Nazarbad police have booked the pontiff under sections based on the complaint by Child Development and Protection Officer Chandrakumar.

The FIR has been registered against four persons, including the warden. According to the complaint, the pontiff used to sexually abuse high school girls, who were residing in a hostel run by the mutt. The two students reached out to Odanadi Seva Samsthe in Mysuru and explained the abuse to the authorities concerned.

According to sources, the complaint is likely to be transferred to Chitradurga police as the incident happened there.

Reacting to the complaint, Murugha Mutt Advisory Committee member N B Vishwanath stated that the sexual abuse charge against the pontiff Shivamurthy Murugha Sharana is far from true.

Speaking to media persons here on Saturday, he said the main motive behind filing such a complaint is to harass the seer mentally.

He said the charge has shocked devotees of the mutt. "Many people met the seer and discussed the next course of action. The seer has rejected the charge."

He also alleged that the mutt administrative officer SK Basavarajan is the man behind the charge. After taking charge in the mutt, he wanted complete authority over the mutt. But he was given the post after setting some conditions. Basavarajan, who is also a former MLA, had agreed to withdraw the case filed against the mutt. But he did not stick to his words, he added.

Defending the seer, Vishwanath said the seer has not faced any such charge all these years. In fact, the seer has been working for the welfare of women and children for the past several years. A team of advocates held a meeting with the seer and has decided to approach the court seeking anticipatory bail. Let police conduct the probe and if the seer is found guilty, they can arrest the seer. But the sudden arrest of the seer will hurt the sentiments of lakhs of devotees, he added.