Karnataka seer Shivamurthy Murugha Sharanaru hospitalised after being arrested in sexual abuse case

He reportedly developed some health complication soon after he was sent to jail

Chief pontiff of Murugha Math Shivamurthy Murugha Sharanaru, who has been arrested for alleged sexual abuse of high school girls and sent to judicial custody, was taken to the district hospital here on Friday after developing some health complications in jail, police sources said.

Police sources said the seer was questioned for several hours after his arrest late on Thursday night. He reportedly developed some health complication soon after he was sent to jail. Accordingly, he was taken to the district hospital for check-up.

Soon after his arrest, Mr. Sharanaru, who has been booked under provisions of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act for sexually abusing two high school girls, was produced before a local court, which remanded him to 14 days' judicial custody, Chitradurga Superintendent of Police K. Parashuram told reporters.

"After the order, he was taken to the hospital for medical examination and later sent to the jail," he said.

The pontiff of one of the most prominent and influential Lingayat seminaries in the State was questioned at an undisclosed location by Deputy Superintendent of Police Anil Kumar, the investigation officer in the case.

He was later taken to the district hospital for a medical checkup, and subsequently produced before the first additional district and sessions judge at her residence.

The judge remanded the seer to 14 days' judicial custody, following which he was sent to the district prison, the Chitradurga SP said.