Mangaluru: In a major development on Saturday, August 23, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) has arrested the former sanitation worker turned whistleblower in connection with the Dharmasthala case.
CS Chinnaiah alias Chinna was presented before a Belthangady court, the same day of his arrest. The SIT has sought 10 days custody for further investigation. The court granted the request, officials added.
His arrest comes after the protection under the Witness Protection Scheme was withdrawn on Friday.
An official from the SIT said that the whistleblower was arrested for “creating false evidence and perjury.” The former sanitation worker, who is a Dalit, had appeared before SIT chief Pranab Mohanty on August 22 and recorded his statement.
In another development on Friday, Sujatha Bhat came in front of the media and stated that Ananya Bhat, who went missing from the temple premises, is not her daughter and is the child of her friend.
On July 3, the former sanitation worker claimed he was forced to bury over a hundred bodies, including women and minors bearing signs of sexual assault and rape in Dharmasthala along the Nethravati river, between 1995 and 2014.
He had since identified 13 specific burial sites in the temple town of Dharmasthala. Following the accusation, the Karnataka government constituted the SIT to probe the allegations.
He had requested that the bodies be exhumed in his presence and alleged that the victims bore clear signs of sexual assault.
During the month-long excavation, the SIT recovered a skull and two human bones, which were sent for forensic examination. It was revealed that the remains belonged to a male.
Veerendra Heggade, the Dharmadhikari (temple head) and Rajya Sabha member, denied all allegations as baseless and accused a campaign launched to malign the image of the temple.
Police summon YouTuber
The police have issued a notice to YouTuber M D Sameer, who is under the scanner of the SIT, directing him to appear before the investigating officer on August 24, officials said on Saturday.
Police said the notice, pasted at his residence in Ballari, came after a Mangaluru court granted Sameer anticipatory bail on August 21.
Sameer faces criminal charges over content related to the Dharmasthala case.
A case has been registered against him at the Dharmasthala police station under Sections 192 (provocation with intent to cause riot), 240 (giving false information) and 353(1)(b) (statements conducing to public mischief) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
According to police, the charges stem from a video uploaded by Sameer in which he made allegations linked to the case. The SIT is also examining his role as part of its ongoing probe, officials said.
Sameer, who commands a sizeable online following, has maintained that his videos highlight issues ignored by mainstream media. Authorities, however, allege his recent content amounted to provocation and the spread of misinformation, with the potential to disturb public order.
While granting anticipatory bail, the court directed Sameer to cooperate with the investigation and refrain from making “inflammatory statements”.
(This copy has been updated with the latest development in the Dharmastala mass burial case)
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