CHITRADURGA: The chief pontiff of the Sri Murugha Mutt, Shivamurthy Murugha Sharanaru, was on Saturday shifted to the Intensive Care Unit after his health deteriorated. On Friday, he was admitted to the district hospital after he complained of chest pain.
Late on Thursday night, the police arrested Shivamurthy Sharanaru for the alleged sexual assault of two minor girls and was produced before a judge who remanded him to 14-day judicial custody. The police were planning to seek remand in open court on Friday.
“The chief pontiff of Sri Murugha Mutt, Shivamurthy Murugha Sharanaru, accused of sexually assaulting minors, has been arrested,” said , Additional Director General of Police (ADGP), Law and Order, Alok Kumar. Earlier, he had said, “Due procedure will be followed. Medical test and investigations will be done as per procedure. He will also be produced before the judge.”
Speaking to media persons, Chitradurga SP Parashurama K had said, “We arrested him (Chief of Sri Murugha Mutt) in the Protection Of Children from Sexual Offenses Act (POCSO) case. The second accused, who is the warden of the hostel, is being questioned. She is in our custody. There is no political pressure on us.”
On Tuesday, the District Sessions Court in Chitradurga adjourned the anticipatory bail petition of the chief pontiff of the Murugha Mutt to September 1.
An FIR under the POCSO Act has been registered against the pontiff of the influential Murugha Mutt in Chitradurga after two minor girls made allegations of sexual harassment against him. According to the FIR, the girls were abused for over two years. (ANI)