Published Jun 26, 2026 | 12:50 PM ⚊ Updated Jun 26, 2026 | 12:50 PM
Vachanananda swami.
Synopsis: The Karnataka High Court has cancelled the anticipatory bail granted to former Veerashaiva Lingayat Panchamasali Gurupeetha head Vachanananda Swami in a case registered under the POCSO Act. The court held that the manner in which the pre-arrest bail was granted warranted interference, but gave the accused three weeks to approach the trial court for regular bail.
The Karnataka High Court on Thursday, 25 June, cancelled the anticipatory bail granted to former Veerashaiva Lingayat Panchamasali Gurupeetha head Vachanananda Swami in a case registered under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, LiveLaw reported.
The court held that the circumstances in which the Sessions Court granted pre-arrest bail in its May 2 order warranted interference and set aside the anticipatory bail. However, it granted the accused liberty to approach the trial court within three weeks to seek regular bail.
Pronouncing the order, Justice Nagaprasanna observed: “The manner in which the pre-arrest bail is granted is what troubles this court as one week prior to registration of complaint itself a bail is granted under Sections 4, 6, 8, 10 and 12 of POCSO Act. Therefore going to the offence, and manner in which it is what leads to obliteration of the subject order, and not the mere fact of filing of the chargesheet. In that light I deem it appropriate to obliterate this order and reserve liberty to the petitioner to knock at the doors of the appropriate court to seek regular bail.”
The order comes weeks after the Karnataka Police filed a chargesheet against Vachanananda Swami before the District Special POCSO Court after completing the investigation.
The case pertains to allegations of sexual harassment of a minor boy who studied in Classes VI, VII and VIII at a government school in Hanagavadi in Harihar taluk and stayed at a free hostel run by the mutt between 2021 and 2024.
The complaint, lodged by the survivor’s mother, alleged that the former seer made the boy “massage all over his body, including private parts”, and that he “sexually assaulted the children by touching their private parts” during the period the child stayed at the hostel.
The complaint further alleged that the seer threatened the boy with “dire consequences if he were to reveal the incident to anyone.”
The case was initially registered at the Lakshmeshwar Police Station in Gadag district before being transferred to the Harihar Rural Police Station for investigation.
As part of the probe, Vachanananda Swami was questioned for several hours by a police team after being served a notice to appear before the investigating officers.
