K'taka sex scandal case: Accused Lingayat seer finally arrested
Darpan News Desk IANS, 01 Sep, 2022 11:44 AM
Chitradurga (Karnataka), Sep 1 (IANS) Lingayat seer Dr Murugha Shivamurthy Sharanaru, accused of raping minor girls, was finally taken into custody by the Karnataka Police on Thursday night - six days after the FIR against him was lodged.
Police sources said the accused seer will be produced before a court on Friday.
Chitradurga Rural police station inspector Balachandra took Sharanaru into custody from the premises of the mutt and brought him to the DSP's office. The seer will also undergo medical tests.
However, mutt sources claimed that the seer had surrendered himself to the police.
Sharanaru is facing charges under the Protection of Children against Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, after being accused of brutal sexual assault on minor girls. He is alleged to have been aided by a woman warden, junior pontiff and other staff in the commission of the crimes.
Junior pontiff Basavaditya, the Mutt's Secretary Paramashivaiah, and advocate Gangadharaiah, who are also accused in the case, are absconding.
Deputy Inspector General, Anti-Gangster Task Force Gurpreet Singh Bhullar said the team acted on a tip off to locate the kingpin Parminder Singh, alias Pindri, who was handling the operation of Bishnoi gang in the Nangal-Ropar belt. He said 22 first information reports (FIRs), including an attempt to murder, have been registered against the gangster.
The passenger reached at terminal number 3 on August 6. He was intercepted after he had crossed the Green Channel and was approaching towards the exit gate. On thorough checking of his baggage, nothing suspicious was found.
The operation was carried out in all seven border districts of Pathankot, Gurdaspur, Batala, Amritsar, Tarn Taran, Ferozepur and Fazilka. Major focus of this operation was to keep vigil on movement of drones carrying drugs and arms, ammunition, explosives and grenades in the border areas, an official statement said.
The passenger was intending to fly to Dubai by flight IX-141 from T3 on Thursday. Offloaded on the basis of suspicion, the man and his luggage was checked and the US currency recovered from plastic thread roll in his trolley bag.
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Friday laid the foundation stone for the Sant Attar Singh State Institute of Medical Sciences at Mastuana Sahib in Sangrur district to come up over an area of 25 acres with an estimated cost of nearly Rs 345 crore.
The Customs officials at Chaudhary Charan Singh International Airport in Lucknow have found six gold bars in a dustbin near the immigration area at the airport. The confiscated gold bars are valued at Rs 36.60 lakh in the market.
