Dharmasthala: Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara on Tuesday ruled out handing over the Dharmasthala mass burial case to the National Investigation Agency (NIA), reiterating that the Special Investigation Team (SIT) is conducting the probe effectively. His remarks came amid growing political pressure from the opposition BJP and reports of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) likely examining alleged NGO funding linked to a conspiracy.
SIT will continue probe
“I have already said several times that there is no need to hand over the probe to the NIA. We have constituted the SIT and it is doing its job. So there is no need to give the case to another agency. The Chief Minister has also said the same thing,” Parameshwara told reporters.
He added that the BJP was raising the demand for an NIA probe in different ways each day. “Until the SIT probe is complete, we cannot comment on anything related to the investigation as it may hamper it. I don’t know what the BJP’s intention is. Do they want to hamper the investigation? I somehow feel so, because the investigation is on, there is nothing wrong with the probe,” he remarked.
ED free to conduct its probe
On reports that the ED may investigate alleged NGO funding linked to a “conspiracy” against Dharmasthala, Parameshwara said the central agency was free to look into the matter.
“Can we say no to their investigation? They will probe in their angle related to financial matters and other things… we don’t know their terms of reference. They usually probe into financial matters. Let them do it,” he said.
Political war of words
The issue has triggered a sharp political battle in the state. Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Monday alleged that the BJP was behind the “conspiracy” to target Dharmasthala. Parameshwara, when asked about the remark, said Shivakumar may have “different information.”
The BJP, meanwhile, has intensified its attack on the Congress government, accusing it of mishandling the investigation and shielding influential figures.
Background of the case
Controversy erupted after a complainant, later identified as C N Chinnaiah, claimed to have buried several bodies — including those of women allegedly subjected to sexual assault — in Dharmasthala over the past two decades. The allegations pointed towards the administrators of the historic temple town.
Chinnaiah, however, was subsequently arrested on charges of perjury. Despite this, his claims led the SIT to conduct excavations at multiple locations identified by him in the forested areas along the banks of the Netravathi River. Skeletal remains were reportedly found at two sites.
The SIT, led by Pronab Mohanty, continues to probe the allegations. Mohanty, who also heads the Internal Security Division, recently briefed the Home Minister on the progress of the case.
Soujanya case resurfaces
The Dharmasthala controversy has also brought renewed focus on the 2012 Soujanya case, in which a 17-year-old student was allegedly raped and murdered. When asked about fresh claims by a woman who has now stated she witnessed Soujanya being kidnapped, Parameshwara said the SIT would look into the new testimony.
Conclusion
With public sentiment running high and political accusations intensifying, the Dharmasthala case has emerged as a sensitive flashpoint in Karnataka. While the state government insists that the SIT is the competent authority to investigate, opposition parties are pressing for central intervention. For now, the probe remains with the SIT, with the ED possibly examining financial angles separately.