Dharmasthala burial case: Dakshina Kannada police to determine stand of complainant, advocates on altering investigating officer or handing over case to SIT

Dakshina Kannada police have stated that they should verify with the complainant his stand on whether or not there was a necessity to alter the Investigation Officer (IO) or if there was a must represent a Particular Investigation Crew (SIT) to probe the alleged case of burial of lifeless our bodies in Dharmasthala, earlier than taking a decsion on the identical.

A press release by the police late on Saturday (July 12, 2025), stated that some sections of individuals have been asking to alter the IO or hand over the investigation into the case to the SIT within the curiosity of the general public. Police may also have to determine with the advocates representing the complainant whether or not they had been conscious of the demand.

“Some statements made by the advocates of the complainant to the media on July 11 are factually fallacious,” the assertion stated with out elaborating.

Youtuber booked

In the meantime, Dharmasthala police on July 11 booked a case in opposition to M.D. Sameer, a Youtuber, beneath Sections 192 (wantonly giving provocation with intent to trigger riot, if rioting be dedicated; if not dedicated), 240 (offering false data), 353 (1) (b) (with intent to trigger, or which is more likely to trigger, concern or alarm to the general public, or to any part of the general public whereby any individual could also be induced to commit an offence in opposition to the State or in opposition to the general public tranquility) of BNS (Crime No. 42/2025).

In a press release on July 12, police charged the Youtuber with offering false and fictitious data on the burial case to the general public by way of his channel. The additional data given by the Youtuber, along with what the complainant had acknowledged in his grievance and earlier than the courtroom, had been false and fictitious, the assertion stated.

Background of case

It might be talked about right here that the complainant, who claims to have buried many our bodies of alleged homicide and rape victims within the jurisdiction of Dharmasthala village a decade in the past, produced earlier than the Principal Civil Choose and Judicial Justice of the Peace First Class, Belthangady courtroom, on July 11 a number of the skeletal stays of the our bodies that he claimed to have exhumed on his personal. He additionally gave a press release earlier than the Justice of the Peace. Police seized the physique elements in entrance of the advocates representing the complainant and ‘panch’ witnesses.

The complainant, who claims to have labored as a sanitary employee in Dharmastala between 1995 and December 2014, filed a grievance on July 3, stating that he was pressured to bury a number of our bodies.

After taking permission of the courtroom, the Dharmastala police registered a case for offence beneath part 211 (a) of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita on July 4.

Because the complainant has sought anonymity, police haven’t disclosed his particulars. The safety of the complainant was accredited by the competent authority within the district on July 10.