Power TV MD accused of witness intimidation and obstruction in Dharmasthala mass burial case

Complaint filed by mother of missing student Ananya Bhat

Bengaluru

A complaint has been lodged against Kannada news channel Power TV, its Managing Director and anchor Rakesh Shetty for allegedly intimidating a protected witness and obstructing justice in the ongoing Dharmasthala mass burial investigation. The complaint, filed by Sujatha Bhat, mother of Ananya Bhat — a medical student who went missing in Dharmasthala in 2003 — alleges that the channel is deliberately targeting a key witness central to the case.

The complaint, submitted through Advocate Manjunath N. to the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the case, accuses Power TV of launching a public campaign to discredit a former sanitation worker who has testified under Section 164 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (now Section 183 of the Bharatiya Nagarak Suraksha Sanhita, 2023). The witness has reportedly provided crucial evidence related to unmarked graves and uninvestigated deaths in Dharmasthala.

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According to the complaint, Rakesh Shetty has, through multiple broadcasts and online platforms, repeatedly labelled the witness a “lunatic” and has called for public protests against planned exhumations. These actions, the complaint states, constitute criminal intimidation aimed at silencing the witness and discouraging cooperation with the investigation.

Furthermore, the complaint argues that Power TV’s actions amount to obstruction of justice, as they attempt to derail the forensic and judicial processes that are central to uncovering the truth. By inciting public resistance against exhumations, the broadcaster is allegedly interfering with the collection of key evidence.

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The complainant also alleges that these actions could be construed as contempt of court, given that the witness’s testimony was recorded under judicial oversight. Any effort to discredit such a witness publicly and prevent court-directed exhumations could undermine the integrity of the judicial process, it states.

Power TV’s legal standing has also been questioned. The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting had earlier suspended the channel’s broadcasting license over statutory violations. This decision was upheld by the Karnataka High Court in July 2024. Although the Supreme Court granted interim relief by staying the High Court’s order on July 12, 2024, the complaint emphasised that this does not absolve Power TV of its past conduct or its current actions.

The complaint highlights that Power TV and its MD are already facing multiple complaints and legal proceedings, pointing to a pattern of irresponsible broadcasting. It alleges that the channel is acting with “desperate and malicious intent” and is using its final days of operation to sabotage the investigation.

In her appeal to the SIT, Sujatha Bhat has requested immediate action, including filing criminal charges against Power TV and Rakesh Shetty, ensuring protection for the witness, and initiating contempt proceedings. Copies of the complaint have been sent to the Chief Justice of India and the Chief Justice of the Karnataka High Court, urging judicial intervention.