Mallikarjun Mutya of Mahal Roja Mutt | Photo credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
The FIR, which was registered against Mallikarjun Mutya of Mahal Roja Mutt, was challenged in the Karnataka High Court at Kalaburagi.
Mutya approached the High Court to quash the registration of the FIR against him. The matter is likely to come before the bench on Monday, sources said.
The Gogi police registered a case against him under relevant sections of the POCSO and BNS Act after a video of the accused misbehaving with a minor girl went viral.
Based on this, the Karnataka State Commission for Protection of Child Rights sought necessary action after thoroughly verifying the video.
Meanwhile, on Friday, the police recorded the statement of the minor girl and inquired about the incident from her parents. They also served a notice on the Mahal Roja Mutt and asked the accused to appear before the investigating officer.
The followers and devotees of Mallikarjun Mutya met at the Mutt at Mahal Roja and discussed the next course of action.
“The commission has urgently instructed the authorities to take action against Mallikarjun Mutya without verifying the video and therefore all community members and followers have urged it to withdraw the FIR registered against Mutya within 48 hours. Otherwise, a protest will be organized at the office of the Deputy Commissioner and Superintendent of Police,” former chairman La Yadagir CMC told the media.
MLC Tippannappa Kamaknur and others in Kalaburagi sought a detailed investigation into the allegations to uncover the “forces” behind the conspiracy against Mutya. “It is an effort to bring Mutya a bad name,” they added.
Now a man who is said to be a relative of the victim has released a video claiming that the video which has gone viral is doctored and that Mallikarjun Mutya is not engaging in any such indecent behavior with the girl.
Published – 27 Feb 2026 21:28 IST
