Dharmasthala Crimes: No interim report, SIT will submit full report to court

Bengaluru 

The Special Investigation Team (SIT) will submit a full investigation report to the Principal Civil Judge and Judicial Magistrate First Class, Belthangady taluk, after completing the probe. The SIT will not be submitting any interim report to the State government.

Witness-complaint Bheema recorded his statement in court on July 11 under Section 183 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) (corresponding to Section 163 of the Code of Criminal Procedure). In his complaint filed with the Dharmasthala police station on July 3, Bheema, a former sanitation worker, stated that he worked with the Dharmasthala Temple Administration between 1995 and 2014.

As per criminal procedure, government sources clarified that the State government cannot demand interim or full report submissions to the Home Ministry. However, higher courts, such as the High Court, may seek interim reports. In the Dharmasthala mass burial case, the SIT is required to submit a full report or chargesheet under Section 193 of the BNSS (equivalent to Section 173 of the CrPC) to the Belthangady court. The SIT has 90 days to submit the report.

The SIT can also request the court, under Section 193(9) of the BNSS, for further investigation after submitting the report.

The opposition BJP’s demand that the SIT provide an interim report to the government has no legal standing. The SIT may, at most, unofficially brief the Home Minister or Chief Minister on the case.

Government sources said opposition leaders should “read the law books instead of making foolish demands.” They stressed that the government has formed the SIT on July 19 and is not interfering in its work.

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