Karnataka: Murugha math seer hospitalised after being arrested in sexual abuse case
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Chitradurga (PTI): Chief pontiff of Murugha Math Shivamurthy Murugha Sharanaru, who has been arrested for alleged sexual abuse of high school girls and sent to judicial custody, was taken to the district hospital here on Friday after developing some health complications in jail, police sources said.
Police sources said the seer was questioned for several hours after his arrest late on Thursday night. He reportedly developed some health complication soon after he was sent to jail. Accordingly, he was taken to the district hospital for check-up.
Soon after his arrest, Sharanaru, who has been booked under provisions of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act for sexually abusing two high school girls, was produced before a local court, which remanded him to 14 days' judicial custody, Chitradurga Superintendent of Police K Parashuram told reporters.
"After the order, he was taken to the hospital for medical examination and later sent to the jail," he said.
The pontiff of one of the most prominent and influential Lingayat seminaries in the state was questioned at an undisclosed location by Deputy Superintendent of Police Anil Kumar, the investigation officer in the case.
He was later taken to the district hospital for a medical checkup, and subsequently produced before the first additional district and sessions judge at her residence.
The judge remanded the seer to 14 days' judicial custody, following which he was sent to the district prison, the Chitradurga SP said.
Along with the pontiff of Murugha Math, four others have been booked with one person working at the 'Santvana Kendra' (counselling centre by the Directorate of Women and Child Development Department), while another one has been arrested. Two others are still at large for whom a search is on, police sources said.
Parashuram said the police would apply for his police custody for more questioning.
A group of advocates had on Thursday wrote to the Registrar General of the Karnataka High Court claiming that the investigation against the accused seer "is not being carried out in an unbiased, free and fair manner."
"He (the seer) has not even been summoned for investigation or his medical examination conducted. These lacunas in the investigation show that there is already prejudice caused on part of the investigation," the letter claimed.
It is alleged that the two girls, aged 15 and 16, studying in a school run by the math and residing in a hostel, also belonged to the monastery, were sexually abused.
Apart from the POCSO Act and the SC/ST Act, cases have also been booked under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) against the seer.
In their letter, the group of advocates called for immediate intervention of the high court in monitoring the ongoing inquiry of the case in the interest of justice, so as to ensure fair and free investigations.
"The accused herein being an influential person not even being summoned by the investigating officer, let alone being arrested is utterly shocking," advocates Siddharth Bhupathi, Shreeram T Nayak, Ganesh Prasad B S, Ganesh V and Ponnanna K A said in the letter.
Besides, the anticipatory bail plea moved by the seer was adjourned for today by a local court here.
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Trump says EU has until July 4 to approve last year's trade deal or it will face higher tariffs
Washington (AP): President Donald Trump has said in a social media post that goods from the European Union would face higher tariff rates if the 27-member bloc fails to approve last year's trade framework by July 4.
The announcement on Thursday appeared to be a deadline extension after the president said last Friday that EU autos would face a higher 25 per cent tariff starting this week. Trump made the updated announcement after what he described as a "great call" with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
Still, the US president was displeased that the European Parliament had yet to finalize the trade arrangement reached last year, which was further complicated in February by the US Supreme Court ruling that Trump lacked the legal authority to declare an economic emergency to impose the initial tariffs used to pressure the EU into talks.
"A promise was made that the EU would deliver their side of the Deal and, as per Agreement, cut their Tariffs to ZERO!" Trump posted. "I agreed to give her until our Country's 250th Birthday or, unfortunately, their Tariffs would immediately jump to much higher levels."
It was unclear from the post whether Trump was implying that the tariff rates would jump on all EU goods or the increase would only apply to autos.
His latest statement indicates he might be backing away from his earlier threat on EU autos by giving the European Parliament several more weeks to approve the agreement.
Under the original terms of the framework, the US would charge a 15 per cent tax on most goods imported from the EU.
But since the Supreme Court ruling, the administration has levied a 10 per cent tariff while investigating trade imbalances and national security issues, aiming to put in new tariffs to make up for lost revenues.
