Two more minor victims lodge POCSO case against arrested K'taka seer who had blessed RaGa
14 Oct 2022 13:03:11
Bengaluru, Oct 14: Two more minor victims have lodged a POCSO complaint in the ongoing case of rape and sexual assault of minors against seer Shivamurthy Murugha Sharanaru of the Chitradurga Murugha mutt. The seer is currently under judicial custody.
According to the police, the FIR has been registered in the Nazarbad police station of Mysuru city following directions by the Child Welfare Committee (CWC). The two latest victims are aged 12 and 14 years and approached the CWC in Mysuru on Thursday along with their complaint against the accused seer.
The victims were staying at the Akkamahadevi hostel run by the Chitradurga mutt. They approached the Odanaadi NGO and later brought the matter before the CWC. The Odanaadi NGO Mysuru was instrumental in lodging of a case against the accused seer by two minor victims of sexual assault earlier as well.
The local court had rejected the bail petition by the accused five times and also denied any special treatment to him in the prison. He is presently in Judicial custody till October 21. He has been accused of sexually exploiting the minor girls studying at hostels run by the mutt over two decades.
Murugha mutt has 3,000 branches all over the country and is considered the richest religious mutt in terms of property. It also runs more than 150 reputed education institutions and the mutt also plays an important role in state politics.
The accused seer has refused to step down from his post despite the fact that followers and community leaders have conducted a meeting to discuss the appointment of a new seer for the mutt.
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