Karnataka HC quashes conspiracy case against Murugha Mutt ex-admin and ex-MLA S K Basavaraj

PTI, Nov 4, 2023, 8:12 AM IST

Representative image (Source: PTI)

Bengaluru: A single judge bench of the Karnataka High Court on Friday quashed the case against former MLA and ex-administrator of Murugha Mutt S K Basavarajan and his wife Sowbhagya Basavarajan for allegedly conspiring against Murugharajendra Bruhan Mutt’s pontiff Shivamurthy Sharana.

Justice R Devdas pronounced the order on Friday. The release of the judgment copy is awaited.

Shivamurthy Sharana himself is in judicial custody since September 1, 2022 on the charge of sexually assaulting minor girls.

Basavarajan had claimed that the allegations against him were politically motivated; that the complaint against him was filed as a counter-complaint following the arrest of Shivamurthy under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.

The case was pending trial before the I Additional Civil Judge and Judicial Magistrate First Class, Chitradurga.

Basavarajan and Sowbhagya were accused of criminal conspiracy, extortion, cheating and procuring minor girls in a complaint filed by Basavaprabhu who became the in-charge swami of the Mutt following Shivamurthy’s arrest.