Seer walks out of jail after being in custody for a year under POCSO Act

NT Correspondent

Chitradurga: Shivamurthy Sharana, the pontiff of the Chitradurga Murugharajendra Bruhan Math who has been in custody since September last year facing charges under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, was released from the jail here on Thursday.

The Second Additional District & Sessions Court in this district headquarters town on Wednesday issued an order directing the district prison authorities to release the Seer, after examining the conditions imposed by the HC, which granted him bail on November 8, and verifying the documents.

As the order copy did not reach the officials in time, the seer could not be set free, officials said. He is shifted out of Chitradurga, they said and, according to reports, he is likely to stay at the Math's Davangere branch.

"I will remain silent, there won't be any reaction. I request your cooperation. As court proceedings are under way, I won't speak anything on it... our lawyers should have told you everything, you should have publicised their opinion. Let your cooperation continue. Everything will be good in the future," the seer said.