Dharmasthala Mass Burial Case Takes A Shocking U-Turn

The sensational Dharmasthala mass burial case, which drew much wider attention in the beginning, has taken a sudden twist. Karnataka’s Special Investigation Team (SIT) arrested the whistleblower who first alleged that multiple murders, rapes, and mass burials had taken place in the Dharmasthala region. The authorities now allege that the complainant fabricated the entire story, misleading both the people and the investigation.

The Arrest of the Whistleblower

The SIT held by Pranab Mohanty confirmed the arrest of C.N. Chinnayya, the whistleblower, who had previously signed his name anonymously as the “Masked Man,” presenting serious allegations before the nation. He had claimed that a series of heinous crimes, including sexual assaults and killings, were being covered up in Dharmasthala, a town of major religious and cultural significance. His statements had set off a political and social storm, resulting in the government eventually forming a high-level SIT for the investigation.

In a dramatic turn of events, after a few weeks of investigation, officials revealed that the charges were false. The SIT stated that Chinnayya lied under oath and fabricated evidence. With his arrest, the whole tone of the case that instilled fear and anger across Karnataka has almost immediately changed.

Chinnayya’s first wife, when interviewed, said that he was a “big liar,” saying that he had done injustice to her in the past and is doing the same to Dharmasthala, a holy site, and for this, he should be punished.

Case History

This began on 3 July 2025, with videos of a masked whistleblower claiming that he had earlier worked in Dharmasthala as a sanitation worker between 1995 and 2014. He claimed that several people, including women, were murdered and buried secretly in Dharmasthala.

He tied these accusations to the Sowjanya case of 2012, where a 17-year-old student was brutally raped and murdered in a place near Dharmasthala. That case had drawn years of protests and suspicion, with locals and activists believing that influential names were sheltered from prosecution.

In the 2012 incident, Sowjanya’s body was found in a forest close to Belthangady. The CBI eventually charged a man named Santosh Rao, but many continued to allege that the real culprits were protected. Through the years, it became a symbol of mistrust between certain sections of the public and authorities.

These 2025 allegations by the whistleblower reopened wounds about others who might have been buried in secret. His allegations pointed to a larger cover-up conspiracy related to the Sowjanya case, which transcended into the social media space and political circles, leading to protests and demands for justice.  

Forensic tests, as stated by SIT officials, proved that the skull Chinnayya presented in court, which he claimed belonged to a young woman, was of a male. Excavations were then carried out at 17 sites he had identified, with the use of ground-penetrating radar and advanced scanning techniques. While some partial remains were retrieved, and a possible site of suicide was identified at two of the excavated sites, no mass graves were discovered.

At one point, his allegations even brought forth another woman who stated that her daughter had also gone missing in Dharmasthala.

First, Sujatha Bhat alleged her daughter, Ananya, went missing in Dharmasthala in 2003. After a shopping trip around the temple complex, and later claimed she had been kidnapped and assaulted and spent time in a coma in a hospital as part of the effort to silence her. But later, she withdrew her statements.

On Friday, Sujatha Bhat claimed that her allegations in an interview with a YouTube channel, admitting her story was fabricated.

SIT Findings and False Testimony

The SIT investigators announced that there was no evidence arising from the extensive ground searches and forensic examinations at sites identified by the complainant along the Netravathi River for the claims regarding secret burials made by the whistleblower.

Officials described the allegations as “baseless and fabricated.” They also revealed that the whistleblower had visited Delhi this year, where he allegedly attempted to spread misinformation and gain political support.

The BJP strongly condemned the episode, calling it a deliberate attempt to defame a Hindu temple, and demanded that the case be handed over to the National Investigation Agency (NIA).

The SIT reported that Chinnayya made contradictory statements during interrogations. Investigators alleged he attempted to mislead both the public and the courts. Following his arrest, cases have been registered against him for perjury, dissemination of false information, and incitement to unrest.

The arrest can give some closure to the people of Dharmasthala, but it is bound to reopen wounds from the unresolved Sowjanya case, which still remains in public memory. As the SIT stated, the investigation shall continue until the truth and justice are established, and action shall be taken against those who misuse sensitive issues for personal or political gain.

He is now under arrest and has been sent to 10-day police custody.