Last Updated: October 13, 2022, 23:13 IST
Shivamurthy Muruga Sharanaru, was arrested on September 1 after allegations of sexual abuse from schoolgirls.(File photo/Twitter)
The victims’ mother was a cook other at Muruga Mutt. A case in this regard is likely to be registered on Friday
One more victim on Thursday appeared before the Odanadi Seva Samsthe, the Mysuru-based NGO involved in the rescue and rehabilitation of sexually exploited women and children, alleging that she and her 12-year-old sister were sexually assaulted by Shivamurthy Muruga Sharanaru, the Lingayat pontiff of the influential Muruga Rajendra Mutt in Karnataka, who has been in custody since September 1 in a Protection of Children from Sexual Offences case.
The victims’ mother was a cook other at Muruga Mutt. A case in this regard is likely to be registered on Friday.
Shivamurthy was accused of sexually abusing schoolgirls. He was named in a case under the POCSO Act after two teenage girls alleged that they were abused for years.
On September 30, the Karnataka High Court allowed Shivamurthy, facing a case of sexual assault on minor girls, to sign cheques from jail. The cheques were for payment of monthly salaries for the employees of the Mutt and educational institutions run by it. Justice M Nagaprasanna had ordered that cheques be allowed to be signed on October 3, 6, and 10.
The permission of the deputy commissioner has to be obtained by the person who would carry the cheques. The signing of the cheques would be done in the presence of the investigating officer in the case and the jail authorities. Photocopies of the cheques thus signed would be submitted to the trial court hearing the case, the high court had said and also made it clear that the signing of the cheques is being allowed only for the month of October.
The accused has to make an application to the trial court seeking permission to transfer the cheque signing authority through a general power of attorney to another person. The trial court would consider this request and issue orders.
The chief pontiff has also been charged under the SC/ST Atrocities Prevention Act.
(with inputs from PTI)
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