Pocso case: Seer held... then released!

NT Correspondent

Bengaluru: Just hours after he was arrested and sent to judicial custody by the trial court, the Karnataka High Court on Monday directed the prison authorities in Chitradurga to immediately release Dr Shivamurthy Sharana, the pontiff of Chitradurga Murugharajendra Bruhan Mutt in a day of dramatic developments.

The HC found that the seer was granted bail in the first of the POCSO cases against him on the condition that he would not enter Chitradurga district.

He was also allowed to attend court through video conferencing. But the non-bailable warrant against him was issued on Monday at 12.30 pm by the II Additional Sessions Judge BK Komala in Chitradurga in the second POCSO case against him following which he was arrested and sent to 14 days in judicial custody.

The seer's advocate then moved the HC bench of Justice Suraj Govindaraj at 5 pm. The Court was informed that the Special Public Prosecutor had filed a memo before the Trial Court seeking a NBW against the seer while asserting that there was no HC order allowing him to appear through video conferencing.

"You can't misinterpret the order of this Court just because it is a sensational case," Justice Govindaraj said while setting aside the NBW and directing the seer's release.

"It is rather surprising that the SPP is not aware of the order dated 8-11-23 of this Court. This court has categorically ordered Accused number one not to enter Chitradurga and attend court hearings by video conferencing," the HC said.

"I am of the considered opinion that once there is a restriction imposed on the petitioner from entering Chitradurga district it would not only apply to the case giving rise to the petition but to all proceedings in the District of Chitradurga. The petitioner has been restricted from entering the district and permitted to attend through video conferencing," the HC said.

"The orders passed by the trial court are contrary to the orders passed by this Court,'' the HC said.