POCSO case against Yadgir ‘godman’: Quash petition filed before HC, devotees give 2 days to withdraw case
Yadgir (Karnataka): Self-proclaimed ‘godman’ Mallikarjun Mutya, an accused in a Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO) case, has moved the Karnataka High Court on Friday seeking quashing of the case registered against him.
Mallikarjun Mutya approached the Kalaburagi Bench of the High Court and filed a petition seeking to quash the POCSO case. The petition has been submitted before the Kalaburagi Bench.
In his petition, he has claimed that the parents of the alleged victim did not file any complaint and that the FIR was registered by the police on their own. He is reported to have filed the petition from an undisclosed location.
Meanwhile, the police have launched a hunt to trace and arrest the accused ‘godman’.
At the same time, his devotees have threatened authorities to withdraw the case within two days. They warned that if their demand is not met, they will stage protests in front of the Deputy Commissioner’s office and other places across the district.
Devotees gathered at the mutt premises on Friday and took this decision collectively.
It can be recalled that the self-proclaimed ‘godman’, Mallikarjun Mutya, based in Yadgir has been accused of misbehaving with a minor girl after a video of the incident went viral on social media.
In response, the Karnataka State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (KSCPCR) has registered a suo motu case on Thursday and filed a formal complaint with the Superintendent of Police (SP) of Yadgir.
The accused, Mallikarjun Mutya, who is in the age group of 25-26, fled his residence and is currently absconding to evade arrest following the filing of a First Information Report (FIR). The police have issued notice to him to appear for the investigation.
The devotees of the accused godman claimed on Friday that the parents of the victim have not filed the complaint and they do not have any concerns. There is a conspiracy to fix him in a criminal case and defame him.
A devotee stated that the “statement of the victim and also the parents is important. Both have not given any statement. This case should be quashed, if not we will take up strong agitation all over the district.”
It can be recalled that the viral footage in connection with the case, which has sparked widespread public outrage, reportedly shows Mallikarjun Mutya misbehaving with a child sitting on his lap. The video further depicts Mallikarjun Mutya violently dragging the child across a table in the presence of others, before forcefully hugging and kissing her.
Based on a complaint filed by the Child Development Project Officer (CDPO) of Shahapur taluk, a case has been registered under the POCSO Act at the Gogi Police Station.
In a letter to the SP, Commission Chairman Shashidhar Kosambe stated: “A video featuring the accused misbehaving with a minor girl is circulating on social media, leading to public demand for immediate action. The Commission has registered a suo motu case based on this footage. Consequently, you are directed to take cognizance of this development, conduct a thorough investigation, and submit a detailed report to the Commission.”
Responding to the development, the family of the accused maintained that the godman is innocent. They claim the child is a distant relative and that his actions were merely a display of paternal or brotherly affection.
According to the family, the girl’s father originally recorded the video to capture a moment of “showering love” on the child. They allege that after the video was posted as a mobile status, the public misinterpreted the context and “twisted” the narrative to implicate him.
The police have taken up further investigation.