Dharmasthala Manjunatha Swamy Temple | Image Credit: Borrbo
Dharmasthala Temple seeks to implead as ‘victim’ in mass burial case; State likely to oppose
Belthangady
In an unusual intervening application, the Sri Kshetra Dharmasthala Manjunathaswamy Temple has approached the Belthangady court, which is adjudicating the complaint report, seeking to be impleaded as a ‘victim’ in the mass burial case.
Highly placed sources in the State government told blrpost.com that the prosecution will oppose the application, as the Sri Kshetra Dharmasthala Temple authorities are not victims in the case. The source said the victim in the mass burial case is the court, as accused C N Chinnayya allegedly committed perjury against the court. Since the court is the complainant, it is also the victim in this case.
It may be noted that the Special Investigation Team (SIT), which probed the mass burial case, submitted a nearly 4,000-page complaint report on November 20 under Section 215 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita. The report names Chinnayya as the sole accused and six others as co-conspirators for allegedly committing perjury. The court is now required to decide whether to register a Private Complaint Register (PCR) or order further investigation. The matter was heard on Wednesday (December 31, 2025) and has been posted to January 3 for the next hearing.
Meanwhile, advocates C V Nagesh and Mahesh Kaje, appearing for the Dharmasthala Temple, filed an intervening application. Speaking to this news website, Mahesh Kaje said, “We have prayed that the court implead the temple as a victim in the perjury proceedings. If the case is viewed in a larger perspective, the perjury was committed against the court in matters connected to the temple. The proposed accused (Sowjanya activists) named in the complaint report levelled allegations against the temple authorities and even filed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) involving the temple in Supreme Court. Hence, the temple authorities have the right to be heard as victims.”
Bhaskar Holla, counsel for activists Girish Mattannavar and Vittal Gowda, who are named in the report, also moved the court seeking an opportunity of hearing before any decision is taken on the complaint report.
Holla said, “apart from urging the court to hear the activists, we will also oppose the temple’s application. The temple has no locus standi to be treated as a victim, as the SIT has nowhere described it as such in the complaint report. The alleged perjury is against the court, not against the temple.”
Flip-flop
When the matter was taken up in the late morning, in-charge Assistant Public Prosecutor (APP) Ashitha Manya objected to the activists’ application but orally consented to the temple’s plea.
However, later in the evening, Manya informed the court that the regular APP would appear on January 3, as he would be on leave on Wednesday. The second time she neither opposed nor consented to the temple’s plea, she merely stated APP would appear.
Sources in the Law Department said senior law officers were displeased with the in-charge APP for consenting to the temple’s application without seeking permission from the Advocate General’s (AG) office.
If Dharmasthala godman is so innocent – doesn’t it create suspension when he has hired a well reputed advocate like Nagesh. Which clearly proves Godman is not innocent.
Not sure why good lawyers are not coming in support of activists
Temple administration is not even made accused in this case, Why are they claiming to be victims??? Strange, Isnt it?! You are getting the real picture of the case now as the drama being staged by both the alleged powerful criminals in the case SIT and the prosecution. Allegations’re against Temple Administration , Not ‘Temple’. Why is Temple Administration playing victim card? APP’s admitting Temple Admins Plea but opposing Activists plea right away! This is very very suspicious. SIT never probed Temple Administration though Masked man named them under BNSS 183 statements. So What is Temple Administration’s fear?! Who is teal victim here in the mass burial case? ?
Firstly ,the victims those who have undergone physical and sexual assault and murdered, buried illegally without rituals. Next victims are workers who’re forced to burry the dead bodies. Chinnayya is ‘AN VICTIM’. He has been crystal clear in his statements in his first statement before the court under BNSS 183. Mahesh Shetty, News media, and Nirmalananda Swamy.