Bengaluru, Sep 26 (PTI): A prominent seer in Karnataka was today chargesheeted in a court here for alleged rape in a case filed by a woman.

Raghaveshwara Bharati Swami has been accused of repeated rape by the woman, who was a singer in a troupe at his Shivamogga district-based Ramachandrapura Mutt.

Running into six volumes, the 1,340-page charge sheet filed by the Criminal Investigation Department before the First Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate contained the statements of 151 witnesses, sources said.

IPC Sections 376(2)(N) (repeated rape) and 508 (act caused by inducing person to believe that he/she will be rendered an object of the divine displeasure), among others, have been invoked in the case.

The sources said that material evidence and the Forensic Science Laboratory report has been submitted before court and the investigation would continue into the case.

The woman had accused the seer of raping her several times at different places, including the Mutt's branch here, after she and her husband had been arrested by Honnavar police for allegedly blackmailing Raghaveshwara Bharati Swami in August last year.

Another woman had recently accused the seer of raping her and lodged a sexual harassment complaint against him.

National Commission for Women Chairperson Lalitha Kumaramangalam, who was in the city on Tuesday, had expressed disappointment over the delay in the filing of the charge sheet against the seer, who is on interim bail now.

"In this case, unfortunately, political will does seem to be lacking," she had said after meeting both the women complainants.

 

 

 

 

 

Daijiworld Media Network-Bengaluru (RJP)

Bengaluru, Sep 26: The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) at last has decided to submit charge sheet against Ramachandrapura Math seer Raghaveshwara Bharathi. It has been thirteen months since a rape complaint was lodged by a Ramakatha singer against the seer.

Kishore Chandra, the DGP from CID disclosed that the CID police will submit the 680-page charge sheet before the 52nd sessions court in Bengaluru on Saturday September 26.

 

The victim had lodged a complaint of rape with Girinagar police in Bengaluru in August 2014. The CID police arrested the seer on September 11, 2015 and released him later as he obtained a bail from the court.

The CID has gathered evidences from nine districts where the Ramakatha events were organized. The seer has been accused of raping the victim in all these nine places.

The charge sheet contains detailed reports of medical tests done on the seer, statements made by him, the victim and 48 witnesses, mobile phone call details, evidences gathered during spot mahajar and reports of DNA test. The FSL reports had confirmed Raghaveshwara Bharathi’s sperm on the victim’s inner garments.

The victim had approached the state and national women’s commissions saying that CID police had taken a soft corner for the seer. She had also said that she had received some threats calls.

 

The interim anticipatory bail obtained by the Raghaveshwara Bharathi will expire on September 29. The CID has also served notice for the second time on the seer directing him to appear for medical test on September 30. 

‘Pressure from some influential people’

Meanwhile Shambu Sharma one of the lawyers representing the seer has said in a press meet in Bengaluru on Friday that "It is not possible to file charge sheet on the basis of evidences. The charge sheet is being filed because of the pressure from some influential people. We know the names of people and we will reveal them in due course. Everything is done to tarnish the image of Swamiji and make him leave his seat. When several rapes take places in the country, only rape case against the Swamiji is given more importance. Sadly the case field against Divakar Shastry and Premalatha Shastry in Honnavar regarding blackmailing has taken a back seat now.”