‘Not Guilty’: Karnataka Court Acquits Murugha Math Seer, 4 Others In POCSO Case

Dr. Shivamurthy Murugha Sharananaru, the Murugha Math seer in the Chitradurga district of Karnataka has been pronounced not guilty by the Sessions Court in a crucial verdict today. He along with Murugha Swami, lady warden Rashmi, secretary Parameshshivayya, and two other unnamed individuals were accused of sexually assaulting minors in the ‘math’ and were booked under the POCSO act back in 2022.

Legal details of one of Karnataka’s most closely watched cases

The verdict passed today is related to the first FIR that the Supreme Court had earlier directed to be disposed off within a year. The investigation team assigned to the case had submitted two sets of 347-page chargesheet to the court in the matter with charges filed under POCSO, Atrocities Act, and the Religious Institution Misuse Act.

The allegations against the accused, as per the chargesheet, included repeated assaults in the bedroom, bathroom, and the office as well as threats to the victims. The lady warden was also accused of facilitating access to the victims and carrying out punishment to individuals who did not comply. There were also accusations of administering drug-laced apples to the victims before the assault.

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Karnataka Sessions Court’s verdict

The accused were asked to take the docks by the judge, who the signed the copy and pronounced the judgement at around 2.45 PM today (26th November). Despite earlier statements during the investigation and the legal proceedings, the court found Murugha Swami and other co-accused not guilty and they were acquitted in both cases.