Dharmasthala mass burial case: High Court grants interim relief to Thimarodi, Mattannavar and team

Dharmasthala mass burial case: High Court grants interim relief to Thimarodi, Mattannavar and team

Mangalore Today News Network

Bengaluru, Oct 31, 2025: In a significant development in the Dharmasthala mass burial case, the Karnataka High Court on Wednesday granted interim relief to Girish Mattannavar, Mahesh Shetty Thimarodi, T. Jayanth, and Vittal Gowda, staying the investigation against them until November 12.

The petitioners had approached the court seeking to quash FIR No. 39/2025 registered at Dharmasthala Police Station, alleging that they were wrongly implicated. Justice Mohammad Nawaz, after hearing arguments from both sides, directed that no coercive action be taken against the petitioners until the next hearing.

Advocate Balan, appearing for the petitioners, argued that the FIR did not name his clients as accused, yet they had received multiple notices. “Our clients are neither accused nor witnesses. Notices have been sent through WhatsApp and email, bypassing legal procedure. This is harassment driven by political, religious, and organisational rivalry,” he contended.

He further pointed out the extensive nature of the interrogation, stating that questioning sessions had lasted for hours on end — sometimes from early morning to midnight — amounting to over 150 hours of interrogation. “The FIR initially cited Section 211(a), but additional sections were later added, altering the case’s nature,” he added.

Special Public Prosecutor B.N. Jagadish, representing the SIT, submitted that the complaint originated from Chinnayya, who had alleged provocation by the petitioners and later gave a statement under Section 164 CrPC implicating them. He said the SIT had examined around 20 sites in Dharmasthala village and issued notices based on its findings.

The court raised questions over the repeated issuance of notices, suggesting that separate FIRs could have been filed instead of repeatedly summoning the same individuals. Jagadish responded that continued investigation under the same FIR was permissible and that fresh notices were issued under Section 35(3) as the petitioners had failed to appear earlier.

After hearing both sides, the bench granted temporary protection, staying all investigative actions against the petitioners until November 12.

The Dharmasthala mass burial case, which has generated considerable public and political attention, remains under investigation by the SIT. The High Court’s ruling provides the petitioners temporary respite while acknowledging procedural concerns and emphasizing the need to balance law enforcement with individual rights in sensitive cases.