POCSO case against pontiff: Truth will come out from probe, says CM Bommai
Bengaluru, Aug 28: Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Sunday said investigation is on in a case involving the chief pontiff of a prominent mutt based in Chitradurga, who has been booked under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, and the truth will come out from the probe.
He however, declined to make any other comments regarding the allegations against the pontiff and the case, as a probe is underway.
"When there is an important case -- a case has been booked under POCSO Act and there is also a kidnap case in Chitradurga -- police have registered both the cases and investigation is on. In such a situation, making comments or interpreting the case is not good for investigation," Bommai said in response to a question.
Speaking to reporters here, he said, "The police have complete freedom, they will investigate and the truth will come out."
The Mysuru city police have filed an FIR against Shivamurthy Murugha Sharanaru of Murugha Mutt in Chitradurga under the POCSO Act and certain sections of the Indian Penal Code, for alleged sexual abuse of high school girls.
The FIR has been registered in total against five people, including the warden of the monastery's hostel, based on the complaint by an officer of the District Child Protection Unit.
The girls are said to have approached 'Odanadi Seva Samsthe', a non-governmental organisation based in Mysuru, and narrated the abuse they had gone through during the counselling, following which it approached the authorities and the case was registered by the police.
Reacting to the complaint in Chitradurga, Murugha Mutt Advisory Committee member N B Vishwanath has said the charges against the pontiff were "far from the truth".
He has also alleged that the mutt's administrative officer S K Basavarajan, a former MLA, was behind the charge.
A case of sexual harassment and kidnapping has been registered against Basavarajan in Chitradurga on a complaint from a woman, who is said to be a staff at the mutt.
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Another North Goa nightclub sealed; Kejriwal says corruption led to fire tragedy
Panaji (PTI): As part of a crackdown against tourist establishments violating laws and safety norms in the aftermath of the Arpora fire tragedy, Goa authorities on Saturday sealed a renowned club at Vagator and revoked the fire department NOC of another club.
Cafe CO2 Goa, located on a cliff overlooking the Arabian Sea at Vagator beach in North Goa, was sealed. The move came two days after Goya Club, also in Vagator, was shut down for alleged violations of rules.
Elsewhere, campaigning for local body polls, AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal said the fire incident at Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub at Arpora, which claimed 25 lives on December 6, happened because the BJP government in the state was corrupt.
An inspection of Cafe CO2 Goa by a state government-appointed team revealed that the establishment, with a seating capacity of 250, did not possess a no-objection certificate (NOC) of the Fire and Emergency Services Department. The club, which sits atop Ozrant Cliff, also did not have structural stability, the team found.
The Fire and Emergency Services on Saturday also revoked the NOC issued to Diaz Pool Club and Bar at Anjuna as the fire extinguishers installed in the establishment were found to be inadequate, said divisional fire officer Shripad Gawas.
A notice was issued to Nitin Wadhwa, the partner of the club, he said in the order.
Campaigning at Chimbel village near Panaji in support of his party's Zilla Panchayat election candidate, Aam Aadmi Party leader Kejriwal said the nightclub fire at Arpora happened because of the "corruption of the Pramod Sawant-led state government."
"Why this fire incident happened? I read in the newspapers that the nightclub had no occupancy certificate, no building licence, no excise licence, no construction licence or trade licence. The entire club was illegal but still it was going on," he said.
"How could it go on? Couldn't Pramod Sawant or anyone else see it? I was told that hafta (bribe) was being paid," the former Delhi chief minister said.
A person can not work without bribing officials in the coastal state, Kejriwal said, alleging that officers, MLAs and even ministers are accepting bribes.
