The Karnataka High Court stayed the arrest of rape accused Murugha mutt seer Shivamurthy in a case under the Protection Of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act on Monday, November 20. Following this he was released within 3 hours of his arrest in Chitradurga.
Shivamurthy Murugha Sharanaru had previously been released on bail on November 16 after facing charges related to a child sexual abuse case. However, he found himself arrested once again in connection with a second case, involving the alleged sexual assault of a teenage girl residing in the mutt hostel. The Chitradurga district court's issuance of a non-bailable warrant prompted the Karnataka High Court to intervene.
Justice Suraj Govindaraj, presiding over the bench, said on Monday evening, "The order dated 20.11.2023 passed by II Additional District and Sessions Judge at Chitradurga issuing non-bailable warrant is stayed," directing the Chitradurga District Jail authorities to release the seer from custody.
The High Court also directed the Chitradurga district court to defer its proceedings in the second case until final orders are passed on a plea filed by the seer in the High Court. The court emphasised that the petitioner's appearance in the matters would not be necessary during this deferment.
Shivamurthy Murugha Sharanaru, a 65-year-old seer, was initially arrested in September 2022 in connection with the alleged sexual abuse of two children in the mutt's hostels. While he was granted bail on November 8 by the Karnataka High Court in one of the two FIRs registered against him under the POCSO Act, he had not obtained bail in the second FIR.
