BENGALURU: The High Court of Karnataka on Friday ordered issuance of notice to the state government on a petition filed by Shivamurthy Murugha Sharanaru, pontiff of a Lingayat math, seeking bail in a POCSO case.
After hearing the bail petition of the seer, Justice J M Khazi ordered notice to authorities including the Mysore district child protection unit officer besides the two minors.
The 64-year old seer of the Murugha math, who is in judicial custody, has moved the High Court seeking bail after a similar petition filed in a lower court was rejected.
The hearing of the case was adjourned to October 28 by the High Court.
The head of the math faces trial in a case of alleged sexual assault of two girls, who were inmates of a hostel run by the math, based in the district headquarters town of Chitradurga.
Provisions under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act and the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act have been invoked against Sharanaru.
A fresh case under the POCSO Act was slapped on Sharanaru, following a fresh complaint and Home Minister Araga Jnanendra said that investigation has begun on the new case.
The pontiff of the influential Lingayat math was arrested on September 1 after an FIR was filed in Mysuru following intervention by an NGO, Odanadi Samsthe.