Pontiff accused of sex assault of minors seeks pre-arrest bail

CHITRADURGA/BENGALURU: Shivamurthy Murugha Sharanaru, the head pontiff of Murugha Mutt, booked under the Pocso Act, moved a court in Chitradurga, Karnataka, on Monday seeking anticipatory bail. The court will hear the plea on September 1.
The seer, who has been accused of sexually assaulting two minors at a hostel run by the mutt, claimed that it was a conspiracy and that he would come out clean. He also denied 'escaping' to evade arrest.
Amid fears that the investigation is being deliberately delayed in a bid to help the accused, Chitradurga SP K Parashurama said police would take a call on arresting the seer only after the preliminary probe was completed.
Karnataka's home minister Araga Jnanendra ruled out setting up an SIT to probe the case. "There were no lapses or delays in the probe. The state government will not interfere with the investigation. Police will act as per law," he said. Apart from the seer, four others, including the warden of the hostel, have been booked on a complaint by an officer of the district child protection unit.