Karnataka Lingayat Seer Acquitted in Minor Sexual Assault Case: Court Dismisses POCSO Charges

Bengaluru: The prominent Lingayat religious leader Shivamurthy Murugha Sharanaru, who heads Chitradurga's Sri Murugha Mutt, has been cleared of charges in one of two sexual assault cases involving minors under his care.

A Karnataka sessions court delivered its verdict today, finding him not guilty of charges filed under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO).

Shivamurthy Murugha Sharanaru, who commands significant influence through his leadership of a powerful mutt in Karnataka's religious landscape, faced serious allegations beginning in August 2022.

The case emerged when two female students from a school operated by the mutt reported allegations of sexual abuse to Odanadi Seva Samsthe, a non-profit organization based in Mysuru. The organization subsequently alerted the district children's welfare committee about these claims.

Authorities registered an initial case at Mysuru's Nazarbad Police Station on August 26, 2022, which was transferred to Chitradurga jurisdiction the following day.

A second POCSO case was filed after another mother came forward, alleging that her two daughters and two additional girls had suffered sexual assault by the seer while they resided in the hostel between 2019 and 2022.

Law enforcement arrested Shivamurthy on September 1, 2022. After spending 14 months in custody, he received bail from the High Court in November 2023. However, authorities rearrested him on November 20 in connection with the second case.

The Supreme Court later intervened, suspending the bail order and directing him to surrender to authorities.

Notably, medical examinations conducted on the alleged victims reportedly contradicted their claims of enduring repeated sexual abuse over a three-year period.