Dharmasthala whistleblower arrested for perjury after SIT flags contradictions
The whistleblower who had alleged multiple murders, rapes, and secret burials in Dharmasthala over the past two decades was taken into custody on Saturday by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) on charges of perjury, after investigators claimed that they found inconsistencies in his statements and documents.
Identified as C.N. Chinnaiah, a former sanitation worker at the Dharmasthala Manjunatha Swamy Temple, he was arrested on charges of perjury after investigators found inconsistencies in his statements and documents.
Police said Chinnaiah, who had so far appeared before the inquiry panel wearing a mask, has now been remanded to police custody.
After several hours of questioning, he was taken for a medical check-up before being produced before Judicial First Class Magistrate Vijayendra.
The SIT sought 10 days’ custody for further interrogation, which the court granted, according to PTI.
The arrest came just a day after Sujata Bhat admitted to a news channel that she had filed a false complaint in 2003, claiming her daughter Ananya Bhat went missing in Dharmasthala. She confessed she never had a daughter by that name and that she had lodged the complaint under pressure in connection with a property dispute.
So far, the SIT has dug up 17 sites, with human remains reportedly recovered from only two. Some of Chinnaiah’s former colleagues have also given contradictory testimonies, raising questions over the credibility of the allegations.
Meanwhile, supporters of Dharmasthala Dharmadhikari D. Veerendra Hegde have dismissed the charges as part of a “larger conspiracy” to malign him and his family. Hegde himself called the allegations “baseless” and described them as an attack on Hindu religious institutions.
Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar said the government remains committed to justice. “The investigation is ongoing, and the government stands for justice, not politics,” he said, adding that the temple family has welcomed the probe and even met Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to express appreciation.
While Shivakumar had earlier termed the allegations a conspiracy to tarnish Dharmasthala’s image, he also criticised the BJP for initially staying silent and expressed confidence that the SIT probe would reveal the truth.
The BJP, however, has demanded an interim report and action against the whistleblower, calling the allegations a “toolkit to denigrate Hindu gods and their places of worship.”
Home Minister G. Parameshwara said legal action could follow if the SIT confirms the claims were fabricated.
Separately, PTI reported that police have issued a notice to YouTuber M.D. Sameer, also under SIT scrutiny for the video he uploaded linking allegations to the Dharmasthala case, directing him to appear before investigators on August 24.
Authorities allege his recent content amounted to provocation and the spread of misinformation, with the potential to disturb public order.
