BENGALURU: The NGO which brought to light the sexual abuse of students by Shivamurthy Murugha Sharanaru, demanded a CBI or court-monitored inquiry against the seer as some people in the administration were colluding to protect him.
Stanly K Varghese, director of the NGO ‘Odanadi’, said a high-level probe was necessary because there were media reports of many girls missing from the hostel, including the granddaughter of a blind man. A case was registered under POCSO Act and ST/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act against the seer for allegedly sexually harassing two minor high school girls. He said, “In their statement, the girls mentioned that three girls are missing. I am not talking vaguely. There are many girls who are victims of abuse, but the two survivors have identified at least three other girls, whose names are in the complaint.”
“Some mysterious deaths have occurred, some girls just went missing, some got married after rape, with the pontiff’s support, some women rape victims got compensation,” Varghese alleged. “The administrative apparatus has worked systematically in favour of the accused. I don’t want to give a political or religious colour, but the law and order system, CWC, hospital and jail authorities have favoured the accused. Even the medical officer said the swami got a heart attack, which is not true,” he said. Meanwhile, the seer was subjected to potency and DNA tests, sources said.