Shivamurthy Murugha Sharanaru, the pontiff of Murugharajendra Bruhanmutt in Karnataka's Chitradurga, has been re-arrested by the police on Monday. This comes just four days after his release from jail on bail in connection with a POCSO (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences) case.
"On November 16, the High Court granted conditional bail to him in the first POCSO case. He was also released on this bail. But as he was released before getting bail in the second POCSO case, he was re-arrested today within 4 days of getting bail," Chitradurga SP said on the seer's rearrest.
Seer was released on bail on Thursday
Earlier on Thursday, the pontiff Shivamurthy Murugha Sharanaru, a prominent figure from the Lingayat mutt in Karnataka, was granted conditional bail by the Karnataka High Court in a POCSO case involving allegations of sexual harassment of minor girls earlier this month. The seer had been in judicial custody since September 2, 2022.
Large numbers of his supporters eagerly welcomed him, forming queues outside the Virakta Mutt in Davanagere.