NEW DELHI: CN Chinnaiah, the complainant in the Dharmasthala mass burial case, provided a voluntary statement on Saturday evening to the Additional Civil Judge and Judicial First Class Magistrate in Belthangady, officials reported on Sunday. This statement was recorded under Section 183 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), according to police sources.
In his testimony, Chinnaiah acknowledged that his previous allegations—including accusations of multiple rapes, murders, and burials in Dharmasthala spanning two decades—were “false” and prompted by “certain individuals.” The police refrained from disclosing the names of these individuals for technical reasons.
Chinnaiah had earlier been detained by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) for perjury, accused of providing false statements during court proceedings on July 11. He indicated in court that a skull he had presented as “evidence” on that date was given to him by Vittala Gowda, who is the uncle of one of the alleged victims.
Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar remarked on Saturday that the government’s primary objective was to inform the public about the facts surrounding the case. His comment followed Dharmasthala temple Dharmadhikari Veerendra Heggade’s expression of gratitude for the SIT’s formation, which he believes has been instrumental in uncovering the truth.
Shivakumar cautioned against making premature judgments about the case, stating, “Let the report come. I have seen his [Veerendra Heggade’s] statement in the media. There is no point in speaking on the matter until the final report arrives. While others may engage in political discourse, I cannot do so as a government representative. Official statements will be made by either the home minister or the chief minister once the report is available.”
