Raghaveshwara Bharati Swami, seer of Ramachandrapura Math, has “no hope of getting justice” from either the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) or the State government.
This was the submission made before the High Court of Karnataka on Monday by the seer’s counsel during the hearing of a plea for quashing the sexual harassment and rape case registered against him.
Senior counsel B.V. Acharya, appearing for the seer, said, “We don’t even have 5 per cent hope of getting justice in the hands of the CID or the State. We have trust in the courts. Investigations are manipulated.”
“Earlier, there was hope of getting justice from the CID, but it was lost after several developments during the process of the investigation,” Mr. Acharya claimed, while pointing out that the CID asked the seer to appear for medical test within an hour of the High Court dismissing a plea against the test.
Moreover, it was told to the seer that only a DNA test would be required, but they conducted many other tests. Later, they gave a statement to the media that only 13 tests were conducted and the seer did not cooperate for the remaining tests, Mr. Acharya contended.
He also attacked the reports of the State Forensic Science Laboratory, pointing out that the lab, at present, was headed by a police officer and not a recognised scientist, and hence its report could not be trusted.
These submissions were made when a Division Bench, comprising Chief Justice D.H. Waghela and Justice Budihal R.B., asked why couldn’t the seer approach the High Court after the filing of the charge-sheet as several developments had taken place after a single judgeBench, on October 9, refused to quash the criminal case.
The Bench adjourned further hearing till January 6.
