A survivor in a high-profile case registered under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act has approached the Karnataka High Court, challenging the recent acquittal of the prominent seer of Murugha Mutt, Shivamurthy Murugha Sharanaru. The appeal seeks to overturn the trial court's verdict that cleared the seer and two staff members of the mutt-run school.
The Grounds of the Appeal
The current appeal, filed before the Karnataka High Court, calls for the judgment and order of acquittal to be set aside. This legal move comes after the Chitradurga Second Additional District Judge, Gangadhar Hadapada, passed the acquittal order on November 26, 2025. Along with the seer, the court also acquitted hostel warden Rashmi (27) and the school secretary Paramashivaiah (62), citing insufficient evidence for their alleged roles in the case.
Details of the Case and Trial Court's Observations
The case originated in August 2022 when a First Information Report (FIR) was filed under relevant sections of the POCSO Act and the Indian Penal Code, including charges related to rape, gang-rape, and criminal intimidation. The police action followed statements from two minor girl students residing at the hostel of the Murugha Mutt-run school in Karnataka.
The girls reported to the Child Welfare Committee that they were sexually assaulted over a period spanning from January 1, 2019, to June 6, 2022. They subsequently left the hostel in July 2022.
However, the trial court's order of acquittal raised several critical issues regarding the prosecution's evidence. Key lapses highlighted included:
- The failure to investigate a digital payment made to an auto-rickshaw driver via an app during a period when the victims were in Bengaluru after the alleged assaults.
- The investigating officer's omission to collect crucial CCTV footage from the hostel, which could have potentially verified the seer's presence with the victims.
- The court noted a lack of "sterling quality" evidence from the victims and pointed out that statements were recorded from only 12 out of approximately 300 students at the hostel, with four of those contradicting the prosecution's narrative.
- The testimony of one victim was deemed "inconsistent," and there was found to be insufficient proof for charges of verbal abuse and assault against one co-accused staff member.
Furthermore, the court questioned the conduct of the victims, asking why they stayed with a former mutt administrator for a month after the alleged incidents instead of immediately going to their parents, stating that the "normal conduct" would have been to hand them over to their parents.
The Path Forward
The appeal now places the matter before the Karnataka High Court for a fresh judicial review. The survivor's legal team will argue that the trial court erred in its assessment of the evidence and the weight given to investigative lapses. This development ensures that the legal battle surrounding the serious allegations against the influential religious figure and the institution's staff members is far from over, keeping the spotlight firmly on the intricacies of the judicial process in sensitive POCSO cases.
