Karnataka police arrested Murugha Mutt seer Shivamurthy Murugha Sharana on Monday, November 20, in the second POCSO case registered against him. He was arrested at Virakta Mutt from Chitradurga after an arrest warrant was issued by the Second Additional District and Sessions Court.
Shivamurthy had secured conditional bail in another POCSO case and was released by the High Court just four days ago on November 16. However, the prosecution opposed his release and urged the issuance of an arrest warrant in connection with the second POCSO case. The defense argued that such an arrest warrant would contradict the bail granted by the High Court.
Shivamurthy, an influential Lingayat seer, was first arrested last year on allegations of sexually assaulting minor girls residing in the Murugha Mutt hostel. In 2022, two girls filed a complaint against the seer for sexually assaulting them for years. One of them had been sexually assaulted for 1.5 years, and the other for 3.5 years. In that complaint, the girls mentioned that 11 others were sexually assaulted by Shivamurthy. Another 12-year-old girl had alleged that Shivamurthy sexually assaulted her for two years at the residential hostel managed by the Murugha mutt.
The powerful seer underwent a 14-month incarceration in the Chitradurga district prison.
On November 8, the Karnataka High Court granted him conditional bail. The charges against him encompass offenses under the POCSO Act, IPC sections, Juvenile Justice Act, Religious Institutions (Prevention of Misuse) Act, among others. The arrest unfolded dramatically on September 1, 2022, and he had remained in custody until the recent High Court order for his release. As part of the bail conditions, the High Court Bench prohibited the accused seer from entering the mutt premises and mandated the surrender of his passport to the court. Additionally, he was required to provide two sureties.