The advocates expressed apprehension that the accused persons, being influential and with followers across the state, might sabotage the investigation.
Published Jul 21, 2025 | 12:26 PM ⚊ Updated Jul 21, 2025 | 12:26 PM
Ex-worker alleged murders, rapes, and secret burials tied to Dharmasthala Temple administration.
Synopsis: The petitioners said “hundreds of people (including minor girls, women, many other individuals and beggars) have been murdered, sexually assaulted/raped and tortured and finally buried/burnt with the help of the complainant who was under immense coercion by the influential people from Dharmasthala” between 1995 and 2014.
Advocates representing the Dharmasthala whistleblower have requested the High Court of Karnataka to monitor the ongoing probe into the alleged mass grave case.
A former sanitation worker of the Dharmasthala Manjunatha Temple in Dakshina Kannada district had alleged that several girls, women, and beggars were killed and buried over 20 years. He also stated that he had helped in disposing of bodies.
In their petition dated Monday, 21 July, advocates Shreeram T Nayak, Ganesh Prasad BS, Ganesh V, and Ponnanna KA, expressed apprehension that the current probe was not being carried out “in an unbiased, free and fair manner”.
The petitioners said “hundreds of people (including minor girls, women, many other individuals and beggars) have been murdered, sexually assaulted/raped and tortured and finally buried/burnt with the help of the complainant who was under immense coercion by the influential people from Dharmasthala” between 1995 and 2014.
The complainant (former sanitation worker) lodged a complaint with the Dharmasthala police station on 3 July.
In their petition, the advocates said the “unknown accused are powerful individuals” with followers across the state. Calling for a vigilant investigation, they said even after 17 days after the FIR was registered, and the complainant making a statement under Section 164 CrPC (Section 183, BNSS), no action has been initiated to exhume the bodies or arrest the accused.
The advocates felt that the delay might help the culprits to exhume the bodies and destroy the evidence, since the “individuals hold much power and authority (and) can easily tamper with evidence and witnesses” if the police delayed the probe. They also pointed out that the accused persons were not even summoned by the investigation officer.
The advocates also drew the court’s attention to attempts by BJP MLC CT Ravi and MLA Arvind Bellad to support the “unknown accused”.
“Even one of the famous personalities of Dharmasthala had met the Home Minister of Karnataka, Sri. G. Parameshwara at his residence (immediately after the FIR was registered) and then the Home Minister answers to the media that the visit was related to a medical college”.
The petitioners further said the Home Minister was not holding the education portfolio. They questioned how a free and fair probe could be carried out when the “ministers of the state are directly/indirectly supporting the accused”.
Noting that the complainant’s statement was shared with a few individuals and was uploaded on YouTube, the petitioners said it “casts a doubt on the integrity of the investigating authority”. The petitioners also alleged that all political parties in Karnataka were supporting the accused, though no names have been revealed.
Meanwhile. Karnataka has constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the allegation. On Sunday, 20 July, Sri Kshetra Dharmasthala broke its silence for the first time and welcomed the SIT probe.
