The High Court of Karnataka on Friday permitted Shivamurthy Murugha Sharanaru, seer and president of Sri Jagadguru Murugarajendra Brihan Mutt, to affix his signature in prison for the cheques only for the disbursement of October salary to the employees working in the mutt and the educational institutions run by the mutt.
However, the High Court said the seer’s other pleas, to allow him to sign cheques for other purposes and sign various other documents, etc. should be made before the sessions court in Chitradurga.
Justice M. Nagaprasanna passed the order while disposing of the petition filed by the seer, who is in judicial custody on his arrest in a case of sexually assaulting two minor girls who were staying in the hostel run by the mutt for the students studying in its schools.
In the interest of employees
The court said it was granting permission keeping in mind the interest of the employees so that they should not be left without payment of salary.
The authorised person should be allowed inside the prison to take signature from the seer in the presence of the investigation officer and the superintendent of the prisons, the High Court said.
The High Court also made it clear that the investigation officer should not allow affixing of signature to any other cheques other than those for the release of salaries for the month of October, and submit the photocopies of the signed cheques before the sessions court in Chitradurga.
The seer had filed the petition after the sessions court declined permission for him to sign cheques saying that governing committee of the mutt can ensure payments. However, the seer claimed that only he was authorised to draw money from the bank as he is the sole trustee and the president of the mutt and its institutes.
