Murugha seer denies sexual abuse charges

The police investigation reveals that another minor girl at Akkamahadevi hostel of the mutt also suffered sexual abuse.
Rape accused Shivamurthy Murugha Sharanaru. (File Photo)
Rape accused Shivamurthy Murugha Sharanaru. (File Photo)

CHITRADURGA: Murugha Mutt pontiff Dr Shivamurthy Murugha Sharanaru, the prime accused in a Pocso case, has denied allegations against him that he sexually abused girls or gave them fruits and chocolates laced with drugs. In his voluntary statement to the police, which has been included in a chargesheet that is available with TNIE, he has also denied that he was in the habit of consuming liquor.

Denying the allegations that the girls came to his room through the backdoor, the seer said no one was allowed from the backdoor. The seer has said he gave fruits, dry fruits and chocolates only to those children who were malnourished. He also denied charges that he was helped by others while having a bath. The pontiff also told the police that the warden, Rashmi, was appointed four years ago and he did not know what her timings were at the mutt.

The police investigation reveals that another minor girl at Akkamahadevi hostel of the mutt also suffered sexual abuse. The victim, who is now married and whose statement is recorded in the partial charge sheet filed against the seer and two others, has shared her ordeal.“After everyone went to sleep, the warden used to send us into the pontiff’s room from the backdoor where he gave me fruits and touched me inappropriately.

By 4.30 am, the pontiff used to set an alarm and I was sent back to the hostel through the same door” the victim has been quoted as saying in the ‘B’ charge sheet. Some “helpers” of the pontiff to have told the police that the seer used to get minor girls into his room. But, as they feared losing their jobs, they kept quiet. As per another statement, the hostel warden used to go to the pontiff’s bedroom with girl students and stayed there for hours, while others were not allowed.

A report submitted by the Forensic Science Laboratory, which has been included in the charge sheet, reveals that no trace of alcohol or any drug was found in the blood and urine samples collected from the accused. The chargesheet states that the residues of volatile poisons including ethyl alcohol, narcotics, barbiturates, benzodiazepine group of drugs and alkaloids were not detected in the samples.

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