Karnataka Police ‘intercepts’ POCSO-accused Murugha matha seer Shivamurthy Sharanaru near Haveri

The head of one of Karnataka’s influential Lingayat mathas, the seer on Friday was booked under provisions of the Protection Of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.

Shivamurthy Murugha Sharanaru was one of the five people booked, following complaints by two minor girls. The FIR contains allegations of severe nature, including assault amounting to rape.

For three days now the seer had been rallying support from followers and fellow religious leaders in Karnataka.

Despite an FIR being registered under sections of the POCSO Act, no arrest had been made in the case.

The case is currently being investigated by the Chitradurga Police, under whose jurisdiction the religious monastery falls.

Yediyurappa bats for seer, BJP leader hits back

Former Karnataka chief minister of and a mass leader of the Lingayat community, BS Yediyurapa on Sunday batted for the seer.

Even as the two class 10 students accused the seer of sexual abuse of severe nature, Yediyurappa deemed the allegations “false”.

“The seer has been falsely implicated. He will emerge clean from this case,” Yediyurappa told reporters.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Sunday said the investigation would reveal the truth in the case.

A day after BJP leaders either backed or refused to condemn the seer over allegation of sexual abuse of minors, Rajya Sabha member and senior party leader Lahar Singh Siroya demanded justice for the victims.

Siroya’s statement came as “corrective measures” by the party following the public outrage over Yediyurappa giving a clean chit to the seer.

“Each time something like this happens, it shakes our confidence in our own surroundings, and in our own people. As a society, we owe it to ourselves that these allegations are probed thoroughly and impartially. The Karnataka government and all political parties have to ensure that there are no pulls, pressures, politics, and interference in this case. The girls deserve nothing but justice,” Siroya said in a statement.