Singer rape case: Seer takes cover under vratha, skips med tests

Bengaluru: Sri Raghaveshwara Swami, the seer accused of rape, skipped the final medical tests that were proposed by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) at the Victoria Hospital on Wednesday. The seer was expected to reach the Institute of Nephro-Urology on Wednesday at about 9 am where a panel of doctors was ready to perform the tests on him. Scores of policemen were deployed before the hospital block for security amid large number of media personnel were seen waiting for the seer’s arrival.

It was about 11 a.m. when sources from the Ramachandrapura math confirmed that the seer will not appear for the medical tests.

“The seer has sent a letter to the CID stating that the 61 days of ‘Chaturmasa Vratha’ got over only on Tuesday and the seer was too tired and needed some rest. Moreover, the seer did not have time to consult his advocates for an opinion about undergoing the medical tests,” Krishna Prasad, media manager to seer told Deccan Chronicle adding that the seer has also sought for 10 days’ time to reply to the notice of the CID.

“It was also mentioned in the letter as far as the three tests are concerned, those should not be forcibly performed on an accused without his consent and if the CID wants, they can draw a negative inference against the seer supporting the accusations of the complainant,” said Mr. Prasad. The three tests that were to be done on the seer on Wednesday were genital examination (also for identifying moles on seer’s body according to victim’s statements), semen analysis, papaverine test and Doppler ultrasound test.

The CID had sent the seer a notice on September 21 to undergo the medical tests on 30 for which the seer had approached a court to obtain stay, but the court vacated his pleas on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, K.V. Sharath Chandra, IG, CID told this newspaper that the CID have not received any letter from the seer. “We cannot set a timeframe for taking action against the seer for not appearing for the medical tests. We will study his bail conditions and will explore legal options to pursue with this case,” said Mr. Chandra.