Dharmasthala: SIT to respond appropriately to HC notice

Bengaluru

The Special Investigation Team (SIT) will respond to the notice issued by the Karnataka High Court (HC) in connection with the Dharmasthala mass burial case. “Once the notice reaches the SIT, an appropriate response will be filed,” a senior Home Ministry source told blrpost.com. The notice was issued on Monday (September 15, 2025).

The petitioners sought urgent, time-bound action to inspect and excavate sites they had identified as potential burial locations. Justice M Nagaprasanna, hearing the petitions filed by Purandara Gowda and Tukaram, observed that the SIT had failed to act on their representations, forcing them to approach the court. “The petitioners had to knock on the doors of this court as their representations were not considered by the SIT, constituted to investigate Crime No. 39/2025 (based on a complaint by a former sanitation worker),” the judge noted.

Special Public Prosecutor B N Jagadessha accepted notice on behalf of the SIT and was directed to secure instructions and file a reply by Thursday. The development was first reported by Live Law. Senior counsel Deepak Khosla, appearing for the petitioners, argued that two representations, dated August 6 and 29, 2025, were submitted to the SIT. These highlighted burial sites where bodies are allegedly half-exposed and vulnerable to animals and humans. He further stated that the petitioners had even volunteered to face prosecution if their information proved false.

The plea urged the court to direct the SIT to immediately inspect and excavate the sites in the petitioners’ presence. Alternatively, it sought appointment of a court commissioner—such as the Registrar (Judicial) or a retired district judge—to visit the sites and submit a factual report. The petitioners also requested regular status updates from the SIT to ensure a thorough and transparent investigation into all suspected clandestine burials.

Home Ministry sources said the SIT will deliberate on the matter and provide a detailed response regarding inclusion of witnesses and possible exhumations. This time, the SIT is expected to move cautiously and conduct proper groundwork before resuming digging, especially since Chinnayya, a gravedigger, is no longer available.

The team does not want to rely solely on the statements of two individuals. Investigators have been speaking with locals, police personnel, and other sources to gather intelligence on burials in Bangle Gudde and surrounding areas.Panchayat functionaries questioned so far have maintained that no unnatural death report (UDR) bodies were buried at Bangle Gudde—contradicting claims made by former Dharmasthala village panchayat president Keshav Gowda. Gowda had earlier claimed on a TV channel that the panchayat had indeed buried some UDR bodies at the site. The SIT also prima facie wants to know whether these bodies are connected to the original case. 

On submitting a status report to  the court, the source said “the HC can ask for the report on the status of investigation periodically. This means, the SIT may willingly submit the report to the court if sought.