Meanwhile, Karnataka Police Department issued a memo naming 20 officers to be deputed to the SIT formed to investigate the allegations.
Published Jul 23, 2025 | 8:11 PM ⚊ Updated Jul 23, 2025 | 8:11 PM
Supreme Court of India. (iStock)
Synopsis: On 23 July, the Supreme Court declined to hear a plea against an ex-parte gag order restraining media from publishing content on the Dharmasthala burial case, advising petitioners to approach the High Court. The Bengaluru civil court order demands removal of 8,842 links alleging abuse. Meanwhile, Karnataka formed an SIT, led by DGP Pronab Mohanty, to investigate the claims.
On Wednesday, 23 July, the Supreme Court declined to hear a plea challenging an ex-parte gag order that bars media from publishing any “defamatory content” against the Dharmasthala temple and its managing family, in connection with the Dharmasthala burial case.
The chief justice instead asked the counsel to first approach the High Court as “we cannot discourage the High Courts”.
According to Livelaw report, the counsel for the petitioner Third Eye YouTube channel mentioned the matter before the bench led by Chief Justice of India BR Gavai.
The counsel added, “This is against an ex parte gag order against 390 media houses. It was passed in 3 hours, stating pls take down 9,000 links and 9,000 stories. This is in the backdrop of SIT made by Karnataka state with DIG officers – it states it will be potentially defamatory and hence takedown.”
Meanwhile, Karnataka Police Department issued a memo naming 20 officers to be deputed to the SIT formed to investigate the allegations.
A city civil court in Bengaluru has granted a sweeping ex parte interim injunction in favour of Harshendra Kumar D, the brother of Dharmasthala Dharmadhikari D Veerendra Heggade, directing the removal and de-indexing of over 8,000 online links – including news reports, social media posts, and videos – that allegedly carry defamatory content against Kumar, his family members, institutions run by the family, and the Dharmasthala Manjunathaswamy Temple.
Much of the material pertains to FIR No. 39/2025, registered earlier this month at the Dharmasthala Police Station, following explosive allegations made by a former sanitation worker at the temple that hundreds of men, women and girls were victims of sexual assault and murder and coverups over a period of 20 years in the temple town of Dharmastala.
The order, passed by X Additional City Civil and Sessions Judge Vijaya Kumar Rai on 20 July, directs 338 defendants – including journalists, YouTube creators, digital media outlets, and tech companies such as Google, Meta, WhatsApp, and X Corp – to take down or de-index the specified content with immediate effect.
The court has also issued a temporary injunction restraining the “publishing, circulating, forwarding, uploading, transmitting and telecasting” any defamatory content and information against the plaintiff.
The civil suit (O.S. No. 5185/2025), filed on 18 July by Harshendra Kumar through his Special Power of Attorney holder Rakshith Kumar provided an exhaustive list of 8,842 links as evidence of what the plaintiff describes as “false, fabricated and concocted stories” connecting him, his family, and the Dharmasthala temple administration to the whistleblower’s allegations.
According to the petition, the materials have caused significant harm to the reputation not only of Harshendra but also to the Manjunathaswamy Temple and the various educational and charitable institutions managed by the family and the temple trust.
The Karnataka government on 19 July, ordered the formation of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the alleged mass burials in Dharmasthala.
Director General of Police (DGP) Pronab Mohanty has been appointed to lead the team. He will be assisted by Deputy Inspector General (DIG) MN Anucheth, Deputy Commissioner of Police Soumyalatha SK and Superintendent of Police (SP) Jitendra Kumar Dayama.
The list of officers and staff are:
The order further read: “The unit officers concerned are directed to relieve these officers and staff to report before Dr Pronab Mohanty., IPS, head of the Special Investigation Team. The IGP, Western Range shall ensure all logistic support for the SIT.”
(Edited by Sumavarsha)
