BENGALURU: The High Court on Tuesday directed an investigation officer to file an affidavit asking him why he had recommended a medical test on Raghaveshwara Bharathi seer of Ramachandrapura Mutt.
The court was hearing a petition by the seer challenging the medical test ordered in connection with a complaint filed against him for alleged rape of one of his devotees.
Justice A N Venugopala Gowda said he would like to know the details of the investigation.
Counsel for the seer submitted that the swami is ‘normal’ and is capable of having sex and hence there is no need for a medical test. The authorities only want to defame the mutt, and as the alleged incidents took place many months ago, a medical test would have nothing conclusive to say, he said.
Advocate General Ravivarma Kumar, while submitting the prosecution’s argument, said the medical officer has discretion on the kind of tests he would conduct as per the investigation officer’s requirements. He said details about the tests cannot be disclosed in public.
He read out the victim’s complaint in court and submitted that she had been abused in the name of God and religion. The seer has been booked under Section 354 A on sexual harassment, Section 506 on criminal intimidation and Section 376 on rape.