Dharmasthala case: SIT summons four activists to appear for questioning

The Special Investigation Team (SIT), which is probing into the alleged burial of bodies in Dharmasthala over a decade ago, has issued notices to four activists, Mahesh Shetty Thimarodi, Girish Mattannavar, T. Jayant, and Vittala Gowda, to appear before it on Monday.

In the notice, SIT Chief Investigation Officer Jitendra Kumar Dayama has asked the four activists to appear before him in the SIT office in Belthangady at 10.30 a.m. on Monday. This is for questioning in connection with the complaint of mass burial of bodies registered by former sanitation worker Chinnaiah at the Dharmsthala police station on July 4.

While seeking cooperation in the investigation of the case, the four activists have been asked, among others, not to threaten any witnesses, not to destroy any evidence, and not to indulge in any crime. In case of failure to appear for questioning and violation of any condition, the SIT will take them into custody under Section 35 (6) of Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, Mr. Dayama stated in the notice.

As part of the investigation, the SIT dug up 17 sites and found that Chinnaiah had given a false complaint and false statement before the Magistrate in Belthangady. The SIT arrested him and charged him under Sections 211(a) (Omission to give notice or information to public servant by person legally bound to given it), 227 (giving false evidence), 228 (fabricating false evidence), 229 (punishment for false evidence), 230 (fabricating false evidence with intent to procure conviction of capital offence), 231 (fabricating evidence with intent to procure conviction of life imprisonment), 233 (using evidence known to be false), 236 (false declaration), 240 (giving false information), 248 (false charge), and 336 (forgery) of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.

The notices issued to activists raise significance as Chinnaiah has told SIT that it was under the influence of Thimarodi and Mattannavar that he gave a false complaint. He told SIT that the skull produced before the Magistrate was given to him by Vittala Gowda, the uncle of the 2012 murder victim Soujanya. He also told SIT that the skull was kept for a while in the house of Jayant before taking it to Delhi, where a petition was filed before the Supreme Court. On rejection of the petition by the apex court, complaint was filed in Dharmasthala police station.