Seer of Murugha Rajendra Brihan Mutt Shivamurthy Murugha Sharanaru, who has been accused of sexually abusing minor girls, was brought to the mutt in Chitradurga by the police on Sunday for conducting a mahazar.
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The seer, who is in police custody after a case under POSCO Act was registered against him, was accompanied by investigators and local witnesses when the mahazar was conducted. An officer of the rank of Deputy Superintendent of Police was present, the police said. They accompanied the seer to his quarters in the mutt and the girls hostel.
The seer was taken back to the Deputy Superintendent of Police office for further questioning later.
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Meanwhile, BJP MLA Basanagouda Patil R. Yatnal has urged the seer to abdicate his seat in the wake of charges levelled against him. “There is no way he can continue as head of the mutt,” said Mr. Yatnal in Vijayapura on Saturday.
“The seer has got into trouble as he sided with pseudo-seculars and the so-called progressive and liberal forces,’’ Mr. Yatnal alleged.
“Under the influence of liberals, the seer put an image of Tipu Sultan inside the mutt and that pulled him down. Anyone who has tried to do that has been destroyed. Vijay Mallya who bought the Tipu’s sword, a film producer who made a film on him, and some political leaders who organised his birth anniversary, faced setbacks. A similar fate has befallen on the seer too,” said Mr. Yatnal.