Bengaluru : Karnataka HC granted conditional bail to Shivamurthy Murugha Sharanaru, chief pontiff of Sri Murugha Mutt, in connection with the allegation of sexual harassment of minor girls on Wednesday. However, the seer will not be released from prison due to the pending investigation related to two other cases.

The High Court of Karnataka grants conditional bail to the chief pontiff of Sri Murugha Mutt, Shivamurthy Murugha Sharanaru, in connection with the allegation of sexual harassment of minor girls. The seer will not be released from jail even after the bail as two rape cases have been registered against him and their investigation is going on.

A bail application in another case is pending, in which he cannot be released from jail without bail.

Shivamurthy won’t be permitted to enter the Chitradurga district until the cases’ investigations are finished. On a personal bond of Rs. 2 lakh and two sureties of equal value, he has been granted bail. He has been cautioned not to influence witnesses or tamper with the evidence. The high court has further declared that the bail should not be misused and that it will be immediately revoked if the seer violates any of the terms. A copy of the judgment is awaited, it is said.

On October 13, the HC granted bail to accused number three Paramashivaiah in the first POCSO case against the pontiff and others.

A Mysuru-based NGO, ‘Odanadi Seva Samsthe’, filed a complaint against the pontiff and four others. The complaint alleges that minor students studying at the math’s school and residing in its hostel were subjected to sexual harassment.