SIT team can be seen with other officials during the exhumation operation before the arrest of Chinnayya
Exclusive: 38 bodies illegally buried in Dharmasthala, finds SIT probe
Bengaluru/Belthangady
The Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the Dharmasthala case has uncovered evidence of illegal burials of 38 bodies, according to a highly placed source in Home Department.
Speaking to blrpost.com, the source said the SIT compared Dharmasthala village panchayat records with Unnatural Death Reports (UDRs) registered at Dharmasthala and Belthangady police stations as part of its ongoing investigation.
During this verification, the SIT found that 38 bodies had been buried within the panchayat limits without corresponding UDRs being registered over several years—indicating that the burials were carried out without following legal procedures.
While the panchayat records confirm the burials, there is no mention of these bodies in police records. Investigators are now trying to determine why these bodies were disposed of without UDRs and whether they could be linked to any acts of violence or suspicious circumstances.
The probe also revealed that none of the burial locations were recorded in the panchayat registers. “Not just for these 38 cases, but for most burials, the exact locations were never mentioned,” the source added. The SIT has also found that Chinnayya was indeed a grave digger.
The SIT is simultaneously examining the statements of accused Chinnayya and Soujanya activists recorded under Section 183 of the Bharatiya Nagarika Suraksha Sanhita (BNNS), along with panchayat burial records, UDRs, and missing persons reports from the past two decades.
Meanwhile, the Karnataka High Court has granted an interim stay on the SIT’s probe into the mass burial case (39/2025). The stay followed a petition by Soujanya activists—Mahesh Shetty Thimarodi, Girish Mattannavar, Vittal Gowda, and Jayanth T—who were summoned under Section 35(3) of the BNNS and later approached the court seeking to quash the FIR.
It may be recalled that SIT was constituted on July 19 after Chinnayya filed a complaint in local police station on July 4 alleging that he was forced to bury dead bodies. He also recorded his statement before the Belthangady magistrate on July 11 under BNNS 183. However after exhumation based on Chinnayya’s statement did not yield results, he did a U-turn saying he lied under the oath. The SIT arrested him for perjury and forgery.
Apart from these bodies that didn’t have UDRs
(1) What investigation was done to check foul play/murder being cause of death, in cases where UDRs were registered, and bodies were unclaimed by relatives
(2) Was any investigation done for bodies buried in Belthangady district like Ujire and areas surrounding Dharmasthala panchayat, as the administration family has equal influence in all these areas
Ever since the beginning of the investigation to this moment SIT fits to this proverb- “He who beats around the bush never catches the bird.”
They are finding too much things but never reach the point!
Is this great find of the SIT which spent crores of public money? This was already in public domain through RTI documents gathered by Soujanya Activists had exposed the illegal burials, not matching UDRs or police records or words of former Panchayat presidents! Activists have done great investugation without power and position like SIT! The SIT should have investigated how the victim bodies reached pits in Dharmasthala and who is behind these illegal burials and WHY. The Local Police have played “Major Role” (still playing against justice) in every criminal case in Dharmasthala, especially, Soujanya, Vedavalli, Padmalatha, Yamuna-Narayan rape&murder cases. But SIT has not probed and found anything about the local police!!! SIT has not investigated why KS Hegde Hospital was chosen instead of govt hospital for Postpartum, Who paid KS Hegde Hospital bills.., etc details! Instead, SIT is behind trapping the complainant Chinnayya(is already forced to be the accused!!!) , and activists who raised voice for justice – Mahesh Shetty,Girish Mattanna,Jayant, Vittala Gowda to make them accused without any evidence !!!! This is the same pattern of every case in Dharmasthala. “Make the victims family members or the witnesses or one who demands justice for victims accused”. Take any cases like Padmalatha, Vedavalli?!
This kind of investigation should enter into Guinness Book of world records and Pranab Mohanty must get Nobel Prize for such a great investigation.
Apart from evidence why are they not questioning the accused? Are they so powerful above the law. Looks like people are loosing hope with this government too. Initially I was optimistic about the case but based on the present stage where they are sending summons to activists looks like this case is in favour of accused and others.