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.
Earlier, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann asked Director General of the Border Security Force (BSF) Pankaj Kumar to enhance vigil at the borders of the state for checking smuggling of drugs and weapons from across the border. The Director General had called on the Chief Minister here on July 31.
Inspector General of Police (IGP) Sukhchain Singh Gill, while addressing his weekly press conference here, said they have recovered 11.73 kg heroin, 20 kg opium, 9 kg ganja, 5.76 quintals of poppy husk, and 28,000 tablets of Pharma opioids, besides recovering Rs 20 lakh drug money after carrying out cordon and search operations in drug-affected areas.
Addressing a gathering here while handing over appointment letters to the newly recruited 4,358 constables in Punjab Police, the Chief Minister said the state government has conducted the entire recruitment process in a transparent and fair manner.
Amid heightened security to enter Delhi, traffic snarls were reported at the Ghaziabad, Chilla, Singhu, Faridabad and Tikri borders. Delhi Police have put barricades at all these border points and every vehicle entering the national capital city are being checked.
The accident took place late on Sunday night when Adil, 25, his pregnant wife Asma, 24, Mashkoor, 26, his wife Rukhsar, 27, Rihanna, 38, and Sultana, 35, were returning home in Mirzapur village. The van was completely damaged in the collision.
On the morning of August 24, the Prime Minister will inaugurate Amrita Hospital in Faridabad, Haryana. Thereafter, the Prime Minister will travel to Mohali and dedicate 'Homi Bhabha Cancer Hospital and Research Centre' to the nation, in Mullanpur, Sahibzada Ajit Singh Nagar District (Mohali) at around 2:15 p.m.