K’taka temple poisoning: SC dismisses Maramma Temple pontiff’s bail plea

Team Udayavani, Dec 3, 2019, 3:03 PM IST

Bengaluru: A bail plea filed by the pontiff of ‘Kitcchu Gutti Maramma Temple’ at Chamarajanagara district, where 17 persons had died on December 14, 2018, and as many as 164 persons sustained severe health problems due to consumption of poisonous prasadam, was dismissed by the Supreme Court on Monday, December 2.

The bench of Justices N V Ramana, Ajay Rastogi and V Rama Subramanian, who were hearing the plea rejected the bail to Immadi Mahadeva Swamy alias Devanna Buddi against the Karnataka High Court’s order denying him bail.

The high court had on September 25 found that there are prima facie materials against the petitioner. It also noted that the prosecution has brought out some materials, showing there were chances of he influencing the witnesses, who are none other than his close associates if he was released on bail.

In the case, the charge sheet has already been filed. Swamy was arrested on December 18, 2018.

It may be recalled that, on December 14 last year, 110 people were hospitalised after consuming prasadam at the Kichugutti Maramma temple in Sulwadi village of Chamarajanagar district in Karnataka. Days after 15 people, Immadi Mahadeva Swamy, a local seer and three others were arrested on charges of hatching a conspiracy to kill devotees in a bid to defame the management and take control of the shrine in this district in Karnataka.