BENGALURU: The Karnataka High Court on Monday refused to quash the rape charges against Dr Shivamurthy Murugha Sharanaru, pontiff of Sri Jagadguru Murugharajendra Bruhanmath of Chitradurga, in connection with the sexual abuse of minor girls.
Observing that the Special Court for Pocso Cases should not act as the ‘post-office’ of the prosecution, the high court directed the special court to redraw the charges against Sharanaru with respect to the provisions of the Religious Institutions (Prevention of Misuse) Act and the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, against him as same are loosely laid, and proceed in accordance with the law.
Justice M Nagaprasanna delivered the verdict while partly allowing the four separate petitions filed by Dr Shivamurthy Murugha Sharanaru questioning the proceedings pending against him under the provisions of Pocso Act, Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, IPC, Religious Institutions (Prevention of Misuse) Act and the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act before the special court in Chitradurga.
The cases were registered against the pontiff in August 2022. Granting a bail in one case in November 2023, the high court imposed conditions that the seer should not enter the Chitradurga district till the conclusion of the trial pending in two cases. He should appear before the special court during the trial through video-conferencing without fail, the high court ordered.