Raghaveshwara Bharathi (officially, Shree Shree Jagadguru Sri Shankaracharya Srimad Raghaveshwara Bharathi Swamiji), is the present pontiff (Guru) of Shri Ramachandrapura Mutt, Hosanagara in Shimoga district in the Indian state of Karnataka. He is the 36th pontiff of the mutt. He took sannyasa from Raghavendra Bharati, the previous pontiff, in April 1994. He is a follower of Advaita Vedanta.
Bharathi in his early days before taking initiation was known by the name Hareesha Sharma. He was born in the village called Chaduravalli in Sagara, Karnataka.
He studied Vedantha, Yoga, Astrology and Sanskrit in Mysore.
On 28 April 1999, Bharathi was made seer following the death of Raghavendra Bharathi.
Seer accused of sexually abusing woman. Shri Ramachandrapur Mutt files a police complaint of blackmail against her and her husband.
On August 28, Administrators of the Shri Ramachandrapur Mutt in Hosanagar of Shimoga district have filed a police complaint of blackmail against a singer and her husband. In retaliation, the couple’s daughter filed a counter-complaint that the seer of the mutt had sexually abused her mother.
Honnavar police on Tuesday arrested singer Premalatha and her husband Divakar Shastry in Bangalore, for allegedly blackmailing Raghaveshwara Bharati Swami. This led to Premalatha’s daughter lodging a complaint against the seer in Banashankari police station in the city.
The seer has been performing Chaturmasa at Raghottam mutt in Kekkar village in Honnavar taluk for the past month. On August 15, the mutt administrator filed a criminal complaint against Premalatha and Divakar Shastry with Honnavar police, alleging the couple was blackmailing the seer and also threatening artists slated to perform at the Ramakatha function during the Chaturmasa.
The complaint said the Shastrys were pushing the seer to abdicate his Gurupeetha, threatening to defame him if he failed to do so.
Hours after Honnavar police arrested Premalatha and Divakar, their daughter lodged a sexual abuse complaint against the seer. She said the swami’s followers had threatened her mother with dire consequences if the abuse was revealed.
In her two-page written complaint, Premalatha’s daughter said, “My mother was complaining that she has been sexually abused against her will by the swamiji. As my parents have been arrested, only I and my sister are living in the house and we fear the swamiji’s followers will harm us. We received some threatening phone calls.”
Premlatha, on the allegation that they had blackmailed the seer and the math, gave a detailed statement to the police accusing the seer of raping her for more than 90 times at 40 places across the country between 2010 and 2014.
Police said they’ve registered the case under IPC 353A (sexual harassment) and 506 (criminal intimidation).
The JMFC court in Honnavar on Wednesday remanded Divakar to one day in police custody, while Premalatha was sent to judicial custody.
Dogged By Controversies
Raghaveshwara Bharati Swamiji of Shri Ramachandrapur Mutt in Hosanagar of Shimoga district was at the centre of a controversy after the then Yeddyurappa government handed over the Mahabaleshwara temple of Gokarna to the mutt.
Some priests launched an agitation against this under the banner of Gokarna Hita Rakshana Samithi. Two years ago, some Samithi members were arrested for allegedly trying to implicate the seer in a sex scandal. A few months ago, two men were arrested in Bangalore for allegedly blackmailing the swami and demanding Rs 10 crore from him.
CID Visits Honnavar To Investigate
Two police teams arrived at Honnavar on Thursday September 11 to investigate the two cases involving Sri Raghaveshwara Bharati Swamiji of Sri Ramachandrapur Math, one relating to blackmail by Premalata Shastri couple, and other, sexual atrocity. One of these teams is headed deputy superintendent of police, Simon, while the other is led by deputy superintendent of police, Ashok Kumar. CID superintendent of police, Siri Gowri, is guiding both these teams.
The personnel met B R Chandrashekhar, who has filed a complaint of blackmail against Shastri couple, and recorded his statements. In the meanwhile, the CID team has also been permitted by the Honnavar court of judicial magistrate (first class), to obtain statements from Premalata couple.
Bangalore HC Restrains Police From Arresting, Interrogating Raghaveshwara Swamiji
The state high court has adjourned hearing in a petition filed by Sri Raghaveshwara Swamiji of Ramachandrapur Math seeking to quash the first information report filed against him relating to complaint of sexual harassment allegations made against him, to September 23. It has also ordered the government and police to maintain status quo in the issue and not to arrest the Swamiji or subject him to questioning till then.
At the same time, the judge asked the advocate representing the Swamiji to file counter to objections which the government proposes to file against the said petition. Advocate for the government has sought time to file applications against the application moved by the Swamiji.
The single judge bench presided over by Justice K N Phaneendra, which had earlier stayed arrest and questioning of the spiritual head of Ramchandrapur Math till September 19, extended the operation of this order till September 23 when the case came up for hearing on Friday September 19.
Rationalists’ And Humanists’ Forum Of India Demands A Fair Investigation
Debashis, the General Secretary of Rationalists’ and Humanists’ Forum of India has urged the state government to file an appeal against the high court directive that has stayed arrest of Sri Raghaveshwara Bharati Swamiji. Members of Rationalists’ and Humanists’ Forum of India met deputy commissioner, Vipul Bansal, on 11th September and handed over a petition. The organization has termed the high court order barring police from arresting or interrogating Sri Raghaveshwara Bharati Swamiji till September 19 as unfortunate. Even if the Swamiji is innocent, he has to come clean through due legal process. The police department, which arrested Premalata and Diwakar Shastri immediately after complaint of blackmail was registered against the couple, functioned against the principle of equality before law by not arresting the accused Swamiji even after a woman complained that she had been raped by him,’ RHFI pointed out.
The Honnavar court has reserved its order on the bail petition moved by Premalata Shastri couple in the case of blackmail registered against them, to September 16. Presiding officer of the court, M S Harini, who had extended judicial custody of the couple till September 23.
CID Grills Raghaveshwara Bharati For Five Hours
Raghaveshwara Bharati, the pontiff of Hosanagar-based Ramachandrapura Math, was questioned for almost five hours at the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) office on Tuesday October 14.
The pontiff, who appeared before the investigating officer (IO) at around 2 pm, reportedly co-operated well with the investigation. Meanwhile, the CID served him another notice to appear before the IO on Wednesday October 15.
The State High Court Issued Interim Stay On The Medical Tests
The state high court, on Monday October 20, issued interim stay on the medical tests proposed to be conducted on Sri Raghaveshwara Swamiji on Tuesday October 21. A single judge bench of the high court, which considered a petition filed by the Swamiji against subjecting him to medical tests, duly questioning the notice served by CID police on him to be present at Victoria Hospital for the test on Tuesday, issued this order.
Placing arguments before the bench, advocate for the Swamiji argued that conducting medical tests immediately after charges of rape are filed can alone be considered as meaningful exercise. He pointed out that in this case, complaint was filed with much delay, and subjecting people to medical tests without backed by strong evidence violates fundamental rights of the concerned and right to privacy. He also averred that the policemen are not right in conducting medical tests of people accused in every case.
RHFI Continues To protest
Debashis said that the cases filed against and by the Swamiji are becoming complicated with each passing week, as the Swamiji has so far succeeded in getting his requests for injunctions against issuing statements to media by Premalata Shastri and others against him, anticipatory bail, order not to arrest him, etc, granted by the courts. If the sheer is not guilty, he should coperate with the investigation and would readily agree for the medical test as it would only help him to prove his innocence.
RHFI demands a fair investigation. Let us not think that the hindu seers are above law under BJP rule.
HC Refuses To Quash Criminal Case Against Raghaveshwara Bharathi Swami
The Karnataka High Court on Thursday gave freedom for the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) to interrogate Raghaveshwara Bharathi Swami of Sri Ramachandrapura Math in a criminal case registered against him.
Justice K.N. Phaneendra, while dismissing the seer’s petition questioning the first information report (FIR) registered against him, said the FIR cannot be quashed at this early stage as the status and reputation of not only the seer but also the woman were at stake. He said that only a “fair and efficient” investigation could ascertain whether the allegations levelled against the seer were false or true.
Though the High Court vacated its interim order of restraining the police from interrogating or arresting the seer, in its Thursday’s order it reminded the police that the discretionary power of investigating officers to arrest an accused should be used “with all care and caution.
Anticipatory Bail
On October 9, a City Civil and Sessions Court granted an interim anticipatory bail to the seer for a period of 30 days on the condition that the police should release him on bail in the event of his arrest. The trial court directed the seer not to tamper with or threaten witnesses while imposing other conditions.
RHFI Continues To Fight
RHFI hopes that the CID would conduct a fair, impartial, meticulous and efficient investigation. Both the accused and the complainants should be given equal opportunity to support their claims. RHFI would continue to fight for that right.
RATIONALIST DEBASHIS 
Hello. Well thinking of this forum as a humanist and rationalist one must understand that let alone the seer, nobody is above the law. We as followers of the seer obviously want justice, so do those who believe in Mr and Mrs Shastry. And I agree that is obvious. However stating that no fair investigations have been conducted is again a blame on the law. If you’ll have paid attention to the news the shastry couple were arrested after 10 days of filing the complaint. Now are you openly stating that the law is under one man’s control? Find that quite impossible. Now you ask why wasn’t Sri Raghaveshwara Swamiji arrested. The Seer has never said no to medical check up, which he underwent as soon as they got the notice. How is this unfair? I know rape is wrong and have tl be dealt with rigorous punishment, but one must also know that it must not be used as a weapon, a bramhastra to destroy. Let justice prevail. Even Lord Rama was subjected to torture. We will prevail, justice will prevail. Harè Rama.
Hi folks,
well done.
keep going with your mission.
Well Said, This country is put it into such a situation by then ruled central Govt that anybody can use the word Rape for Granted and file case against anybody though not involved in that! I am not a great follower of Swamiji but yes for his great works and making society together we should applaud him. Many never know about Hosanagar Sri Sri Shankaracharaya Peetha, but from 1996 to 2010 period Sri Sri Raghaveshwar Seer has taken it to the National level. Be it Rama Katha, Cow medicines, Uniting society beyond castism with in Hindus many more.
Yes, justice is same for all, but not at the cost of some ones image, belief & traditional rituals followed since many hundred of years! but when a person is telling a open lie which is very clear still our constitution keep on listen to it is the sad part. It is not the question of medical test or the arrest but the repercussions on the society and the trust and faith of the people. A Lady claim to got raped for 90 times can be believed that too in 40 different locations! Big question to raise is was it a consented sex or rape! Very sorry to say still our system, so called human rights people (though many do not know the very fundamental meaning of it) and even great intellectuals blindly support such lies (which is visible and clear) and even try to make huge noise!
Are we in right direction of tarnishing and torturing a person who did all this for society and religion! What message are we giving to next generation! Feeling sad and disgusted by even the state govt playing role behind it! 79 pages of judgement report says Swamiji is is clean and clear but the last page says justice and equal chance to be given to complainant!
But people who have common sense and knows Swamiji from close will surely condemn & resist such judgement and statements.
Dharmo Rakshathi Rakshithaha
let there be fair investigation. Let supporters of sri not give any judgment even before trial . Similarly on the other side, some women orgs – which selectively takes up issues – should not jump to conclusion. Let the law punish the guilty. There should be fair & thorough investigation and the seer should subject himself to all required tests & probe. But his reluctance for tests on some occasions only raises suspicion for a neutral observer like me. I also see, some ppl – vehemently supporting seer – protesting on the streets. They should remember this will only weaken seer’s case, as that will be presumed pressurizing law and judiciary.