Chitradurga health officials accused of helping Karnataka rape-accused Lingayat seer evade jail
India Today
An activist has filed a complaint with the Karnataka Lokayukta against Chitradurga district health officials for allegedly helping the chief pontiff of Murugha Mutt, Shivamurthy Murugha Sharanaru, evade jail time.
A complaint has been registered with Lokayukta against Karnataka government officials for allegedly helping Shivamurthy Murugha Sharanaru, the chief pontiff of Murugha Mutt, evade the law in a Protection of Children Against Sexual Offences (Pocso) case.
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Activist HM Venkatesh filed the complaint against district health officer Ranganath, district surgeon Basavaraj, and jail superintendent Marukatti for helping the Lingayat seer. All these people had reported that the seer’s health had been deteriorating. They recommended that he be shifted to the hospital in Bengaluru.
Venkatesh, in his complaint, alleged that the officials had misused their powers.
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Lingayat seer Shivamurthy Murugha Sharanaru who was arrested in the Pocso case late on September 1, was shifted to the district hospital for treatment the following day after complaining of chest pain.
Shivamurthy Murugha Sharanaru was arrested for allegedly sexually assaulting minor girls. He, however, claimed that he was being framed in the case. Apart from the seer, five people, including the warden of the monastery's hostel, are accused in the case, which was registered in Mysusu after a complaint by two minor girls.
