Dharmasthala case: SIT submits final report before the Belthangady court

Published 16 July 2026 · general

Over six months since the court direction, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) on Wednesday submitted before the Belthangady court its final report with regard to

Over six months since the court direction, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) on Wednesday submitted before the Belthangady court its final report with regard to perjury and criminal offences alleged against C.N. Chinna alias Chinnaiah, Mahesh Shetty Thimarody, Girish Mattennavar, T. Jayanth, Vittal Gowda, and Sujatha Bhat. On January 3, the Additional Civil Judge and Judicial Magistrate First Class, Belthangady, T.H. Vijayendra, had directed the SIT to submit final report for it to take cognisance of perjury and other offenses alleged against Chinna and five other accused persons. The order was passed by the court on the 3,900-page preliminary report filed by the SIT on November 20, 2025 under Section 215 of Bharatiya Nagarik Surakasha Sanhita (BNSS). A team led by SIT Superintendent of Police C.A. Simon filed the 7,005-page final report, which included the preliminary report, before the Additional Civil Judge and Judicial Magistrate First Class, Belthangady, Shashank Nagendra Bhat, on Wednesday afternoon.

Along with the report, the SIT also submitted material objects related to the report. Prosecutor Divyaraj Hegde did preliminary arguments and sought time. The Belthangady court posted the case to August 29 for further arguments. The court is yet to pass order on the application filed by Shri Kshetra Dharmasthala temple on December 31, 2025, seeking permission to implead in the proceedings by considering it as a victim. SIT submits final report in Dharmasthala case Background After arresting Chinnaiah for giving false complaint and false statement before the court regarding mass burial of bodies in Dharmasthala, the SIT found that he has done so under pressure from activists Thimarody, Mattennavar, Jayanth and Vittala Gowda. After the four activists failed to appear before the SIT investigation officer for inquiry, the SIT filed preliminary report against Chinnaiah, the four activists and Sujatha Bhat, who was accused of filing false complaint about her daughter going missing in Dharmasthala.

The five were accused of offences under Sections 227 (giving false evidence), 228 (fabricating false evidence), 229, 230 (giving or fabricating false evidence with intent to procure conviction of capital offence), 231 (giving or fabricating false evidence with intent to procure conviction of offence punishable with imprisonment for life), 233 (using evidence known to be false), 236 (false statement made in declaration which is by law receivable as evidence), 240 (giving false information with respect to an offence), 248 (false charge of offence made with intent to injure) and 336 (forgery) of BNS. The SIT said it was filing a preliminary report as complainant Chinna was in judicial custody and there was legal requirement for the SIT to file report within 90 days of his arrest.