Bengaluru: In a massive twist, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the Dharmasthala mass burial allegations in Karnataka has arrested the former sanitation worker on whose complaint the probe was launched in the temple town, about 300 kilometres from Bengaluru.
A senior police officer in the know confirmed the alleged whistleblower’s arrest to ThePrint, adding that he was sent for a subsequent medical check-up and then being produced before a local court.
“It is on the same complaint that he has given. In his own complaint, he was arrested for perjury for lying under oath,” said the officer, requesting anonymity.
The allegation by the former sanitation worker sent shockwaves across the state as it pointed towards one of the most powerful, wealthy and politically influential families in the state—that of Rajya Sabha MP Veerendra Heggade, who is the chief administrator (Dharmadhikari) of the Dharmasthala temple.
In his complaint on July 4, the former temple worker said he was forced into disposing of “hundreds” of bodies, most of which were of women and bore signs of sexual assault, murder and torture, by people “connected to the Dharmasthala temple administration and other staff members” between 1995 and 2014.
The former sanitation worker was also given witness protection and on 10 July, carried with him a human skull, supposedly of a woman he buried many years ago, to a Belthangady court. He claimed to have exhumed the human remains himself.
On 19 July, the Siddaramaiah-led government formed the SIT to probe the allegations and the former sanitation worker identified 13 spots where he had allegedly buried several bodies.
A human skeleton was found in spot number 6 during excavation and parts of another skeleton near spot number 11.
All of the remains, including the ones he carried to court, turned out to be that of males.
The officer quoted earlier said the investigation will carry on into what the SIT has discovered during its excavations. “Whatever he has shown us, whatever we have discovered is under investigation that’s gone to FSL,” the officer said.
Even Sujata Bhat, who claimed that her daughter Ananya Bhat went missing in Dharmasthala in 2003, has backtracked.
She has since claimed that some people had coerced her into making false statements.
‘International forces behind conspiracy’
The unravelling of the case has given the political Opposition fresh ammunition to attack the Siddaramaiah-led Congress government for setting up the SIT, and allegedly aiding in the “smear campaign”.
B.Y. Vijayendra, the the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) state chief hinted that there were “international forces” behind the conspiracy against the temple.
“It cannot be ruled out that the hand of foreign forces is also hidden behind this propaganda broadcast on international and national news channels. I urge the state government to not limit this case to a conspiracy against Dharmasthala, but to consider it as a systematic conspiracy against the sentiments and heritage of Indians,” Vijayendra posted on X.
He added that the state government should conduct an investigation into the conspiracy with the same enthusiasm it showed when it formed the SIT.
The BJP had thrown its weight behind the Dharmasthala temple management after reports that the investigation was leading to a dead end.
D.K. Shivakumar, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister, said Saturday, “The family of Dharmasthala came and spoke to the Chief Minister, and said that it was a good thing that you formed the SIT. The investigation is underway. The Chief Minister and the Home Minister have said in the House, and in the CLP meeting that our government will take action… whoever is guilty.”
Meanwhile, state Home Minister G. Parameshwara reiterated that the SIT will take the case forward after the whistleblower’s statement is recorded. “Until the investigation is complete, we can neither share the information or conclude the case. If there is a conspiracy, it has to be unravelled. There will be some speculation about it,” he told media persons Saturday.
This is an updated version of the report.
(Edited by Gitanjali Das)
May their malicious lies against Dharma be exposed for the world to see.