Dharmasthala mass grave probe: SIT names activists as accused in 4,000-page charge sheet

Bengaluru: The Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the sensational mass grave case at the Dharmasthala Hindu pilgrimage centre in Karnataka is set to file a 4,000-page charge-sheet, naming activists, who levelled the allegations, as accused, SIT sources confirmed.

Karnataka Home Minister G. Parameshwara, speaking in Bengaluru on Thursday, confirmed the clearance for the filing of the charge sheet.

“We have given clearance for the SIT to submit the charge sheet in the Dharmasthala case. It is up to the SIT to decide when to submit it. They are required to file it within 90 days of the FIR, and they will do so,” he said.

Refusing to share details of the probe report, he said that once the charge sheet is filed, the information will be placed before the government. He added that the facts would become clear in due course and that the SIT would brief the government, since it had been set up by the state.

Parameshwara said the matter had been discussed at length in the last session. He noted that the government must present the information to the House.

“Once the report is submitted, they will learn the details, as to what conspiracy took place and who was responsible, and that the findings will be explained in the legislature during the coming winter session,” said the home minister.

SIT officer Jitendra Kumar Dayama is likely to file the charge sheet before the Belthangady JMFC court on Thursday, according to available information.

The report has named six persons, including the ‘mask man’ Chinnayya, and the activists, with SIT officials concluding that the complainant misled authorities following a prolonged interrogation in August.

The charge sheet contains the statement of Chinnaiah, details of excavations at more than 17 sites, inquiries carried out during the probe, and the questioning of those who had been in contact with him. Supplementary materials, including photographs, videos, and statements, have also been added to the charge sheet.

The Congress-led government convened a high-level meeting on Wednesday, chaired by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Parameshwara, state police chief, IGP M.A. Saleem, and SIT chief Pronab Mohanty, regarding the case progression.

The case gained national attention after Chinnayya claimed in July this year that he was forced to bury the bodies of women and girls allegedly raped and murdered in the village, leading to the SIT’s formation.

Excavations in August led to the recovery of a male skeleton and human bones, which were sent to the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) for analysis.

He had requested that the bodies be exhumed in his presence, and the bodies were found without clothing or undergarments and had injuries consistent with violent sexual abuse.

These revelations have sent shockwaves across Karnataka.

In addition, the arrested whistleblower had reportedly submitted a skull, allegedly recovered from one of the burial sites, to the SIT.

Following the revelations, he was given police protection under the Witness Protection Act and facilities.

Following the claims, a retired Supreme Court judge and several activists called for an SIT inquiry under the supervision of either the Supreme Court or the High Court into the Dharmasthala murders.

On August 23, the SIT arrested the unidentified complainant, known as the mask man, on charges of giving false information in the Dharmasthala case. SIT officers questioned him for over fifteen hours and concluded that he had misled the authorities.

On August 7, Parameshwara had confirmed that the SIT had recovered a male skeleton and several human bones from the marked spots. These remains were sent to the Forensic Science Laboratory.

He then said, “The unknown complainant claimed that he had buried dead bodies at 13 locations. Based on his revelations, the SIT excavated the sites. At the sixth location, a male skeleton was recovered, and at the 13th point, nothing has been found yet. Apart from this, multiple bones were recovered from a new spot.”

He said that all these findings were being examined and that the remains had been forwarded to the Forensic Science Laboratory.

IANS