Updated
Chitradurga, Sep 2 (IANS): Lingayat seer Shivamurthy Murugha Sharanaru who has been arrested for sexually assaulting minor girls, was on Friday shifted from the jail to a hospital in Karnataka's Chitradurga district after developing chest pain and breathlessness.
Police sources said that the accused seer who was lodged in prison following his arrest on Thursday night, collapsed complaining of chest pain and breathlessness.
He is presently being treated at the emergency ward of the hospital, where doctors are conducting ECG, echo tests and chest scan.
The sources added that he might be shifted to the Jayadeva hospital or the Apollo hospital in Bengaluru for additional treatment.
They further said that due to the development, the investigation might be hampered as they were preparing to take him into custody.
The seer is facing charges under the Prevention of Children against Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. He is alleged raping girls aged 15 and 16, with help of a lady warden, junior pontiff and other staff.
Earlier in the day, a district and sessions court sent him to a 14-day judicial custody.
Earlier report
Sex scandal: Accused Lingayat seer sent to 14-day judicial custody
Chitradurga, Sep 2 (IANS): Lingayat seer Dr Murugha Shivamurthy Sharanaru, who was arrested after being charged of sexually assaulting minor girls, was sent to a 14-day judicial custody on Friday.
The accused seer was taken to an undisclosed location following his arrest on Thursday night which came six days after the FIR was lodged against him.
He was later taken for medical examination after which he was produced before the District and Sessions' court Judge B.K. Komala.
Umesh, the advocate for the accused seer, stated that a petition will be moved in the court on Friday and he is confident of obtaining bail in one or two days.
He also claimed that the jail authorities did not give him permission to meet the seer.
"If the police move a petition to take the accused seer into their custody, the petition will be opposed," he said.
The state's Minister for Revenue R. Ashok broke his silence over the issue and stated that the law is taking its own course of action regarding the case.
"Mutts have great respect. Incidents like this should not take place. The law of the land has its own dignity," he added.
Meanwhile, a search operation is underway for the three other accused who have gone absconding after their bail petitions in the court were adjourned.
The accused are junior pontiff Basavaditya, secretary of the mutt Paramashivaiah and Gangadharaiah.
The police have also taken hostel warden Rashmi into custody.
Following the arrest of the seer, authorities have handed over the responsibility of Chitradurga mutt to Mahanta Rudra Swamiji from Hebbala mutt.
He is facing charges under the Prevention of Children against Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
The seer is alleged of raping 15 and 16-year-old minor girls, with the help of the lady warden, junior pontiff and other staff.