Karnataka High Court Stays SIT Investigation in Dharmasthala Mass Burial Case.

End of a Faking: Dharmasthala ‘Mass Burial’ U-Turn, Activists Ask HC To Quash Their Own Complaint.

B Upendran | HENB | Bengaluru | Nov 1, 2025:: In a dramatic turn of events, the Karnataka High Court has stayed the investigation in the Dharmasthala mass burial case, where activists who initially spearheaded the campaign for an investigation have now approached the court to quash the FIR based on their own complaint.

The Controversy

The controversy began when C.N. Chinnaiah, a former sanitary worker at Dharmasthala, alleged that he was forced to bury hundreds of bodies, including those of women and girls who were sexually assaulted, in the temple town. However, his claims were later contradicted by forensic reports, and he was arrested for allegedly providing false information.

The Petitioners’ Argument

The four activists who filed the petition – Girish Mattennavar, Mahesh Shetty Thimarody, T. Jayant, and Vittala Gowda – argued that the registration of the FIR was “illegal” as the offenses alleged in the complaint disclosed only non-cognizable offenses, and the police could not have registered the FIR without permission from the magistrate. They also claimed that they were being harassed by the SIT, with over 150 hours of questioning and multiple notices issued.

Actually, sensing a disastrous fate for their own case, the petitioners are now trying to make a U-turn to quash their own complaint.

The Court’s Ruling

Justice Mohammad Nawaz granted a stay on the investigation, observing that the petitioners had made a prima facie case. The court also restrained the SIT from summoning the petitioners until the next hearing. The SIT had recently issued notices to the petitioners under Section 35(3) of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, suspecting them of indulging in a cognizable offense by projecting a false case.

Investigation Status

The SIT, led by IPS officer Pronab Mohanty, has been investigating the case since July and has so far not found conclusive evidence to support the sensational allegations. The investigation is ongoing, and the SIT is probing a possible conspiracy angle.

The next hearing

The development has sparked a major controversy, with the BJP accusing the Congress of trying to defame the holy temple town. The case has also raised questions about the role of activists and whistleblowers in such investigations. The Karnataka High Court  temporarily halted the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe into explosive allegations of “multiple murders, rapes, and burials” in the temple town of Dharmasthala, granting an interim stay until November 12. The next hearing will determine the future course of the investigation.
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_Inputs from India TV.