Karnataka: JDS leader Veerendra Papi visits rape-accused Murugha Mutt seer

Janata Dal-Secular (JDS) leader Veerendra Papi on Wednesday visited Lingayat seer Murugha Swami, who is accused of sexually harassing two minor girls at his mutt.

Janata Dal-Secular (JDS) leader Veerendra Papi on Wednesday visited Lingayat seer Murugha Swami, who is accused of sexually harassing two minor girls at his mutt. Veernedra said that he had visited the mutt as he is both a devotee and a director of the Murugha Mutt.

"I am a devotee and a student of Murugha Mutt. Besides this, I am also a director of this Mutt. Hence, I have come here today. I did not come here with any electoral aim," said the JDS leader. Regarding the current developments, he said that he is not a big person to comment on that and urged everyone to act responsibly.

"I am not a big person to talk about the current developments, so I won't be commenting on the police investigation. The investigation is going on, and the truth will come out, so let's act responsibly in the situation," Veerendra said. Earlier today, BJP leader H Vishwanath, hit out against the Karnataka government over its handling of the POCSO case against the rape-accused Lingayat seer. He also said that he will write to PM Modi regarding the matter.

He said that the administration hasn't worked sensibly and everyone is quiet just because of elections. He further said that the seer should resign and submit before the course of law to come out clean. On Tuesday, the District Sessions Court in Chitradurga adjourned the anticipatory bail petition of the chief pontiff of the Murugha Mutt to September 1.

An FIR under the POCSO Act has been registered against the pontiff of the influential Muruga Math in Chitradurga after minor girls made allegations of sexual harassment against him. The FIR has been filed against Shivamurthy Murugha Sharanaru of Murugha Mutt in Chitradurga. According to the FIR, the girls were abused for over two years. (ANI)

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