Karnataka HC grants conditional bail to Murugha Mutt pontiff in sexual assault case

Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], November 8 : The High Court of Karnataka has granted conditional bail to Shivamurthy Murugha Sharanaru, the chief pontiff of Murugha Mutt in Chiradurga, in connection with alleged sexual harassment of minor girls.
The High Court on Wednesday granted bail with certain conditions, including that the Seer cannot enter Chitradurga district.
The bench of Justice Srinivas Harish Kumar passed the order after hearing the bail plea filed by the Seer against a surety bond of Rs 2 lakh.
As per the order, the chief pontiff cannot be released from jail, though he was granted bail, as two rape cases have been registered against him and the investigation into the matter is still underway. Also, a bail application in another case is pending before the court.
The chief pontiff was arrested by the Karnataka Police on September 1 last year for the alleged sexual assault of two minor girls in the POCSO act.
According to the victim girls, they were sexually abused by the seer for about two years.