BANGALORE: National Commission for Women (NCW) Chairperson Lalitha Kumaramangalam conducted an inquiry into allegations of sexual harassment by singer Premalatha Diwakar against Raghaveshwara Bharathi Swamiji of Ramachandrapura Mutt, here on Saturday.
Kumaramnagalam met Premalatha at the latter’s residence in the morning. The meeting that commenced at 11.30 am lasted about three hours.
The NCW team met Bangalore City Police Commissioner M N Reddi and DGP Lalrokhuma Pachau at the Kumarakrupa Guest House. After the meeting that last 45 minutes, Pachau said that NCW had taken cognisance of the issue and are conducting their own probe. “We are doing our investigation and the commission wanted to know what stage the investigation is in and what is happening to the case,” Pachau said. A source said that the commission has asked the police to expedite the probe and asked them to appoint a special public prosecutor to present the case in the court. However, when Express contacted Kumaramangalam, she refused to comment on the probe process. “We have been restrained from talking to media by a High Court order. Hence, we cannot talk on the present case and share any information to media,” she said.
The Case
A city-based woman had filed a complaint with the Banashankari police accusing the seer of sexually harassing her mother since 2010. She had also alleged that the seer was threatening her of dire consequences if she spilled the beans. The complaint was filed after Premalatha and her husband were arrested in a case filed by the mutt officials accusing them of blackmailing the seer.