Sri Manjunatha Temple in Dharmasthala. | Photo credit:
The Shri Kshetra Dharmasthala Temple on Wednesday filed an application in the Belthangady court seeking permission to participate in the case.
The application was filed under Section 2 (Y) of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Samhita by the temple as a “victim” in a case related to the alleged mass burial of bodies in Dharmasthala village. The request was made by temple spokesperson K. Parshwanath Jain. Advocate Mahesh Kaje filed the application before Additional Civil Judge and Judicial Magistrate First Class TH Vijayendra.
In a submission before the court, senior counsel CV Nagesh said that complainant Chinnaiah, who is under arrest for perjury, had filed a public interest litigation in the Supreme Court for an SIT to probe the mass burial of bodies in the village. In this PIL, the temple was named as Respondent No. 6. The Supreme Court dismissed Chinnaiah’s application by referring to it as “Paisa Vasool Litigation”. Chinnaiah then filed a compliance application with the Dharmasthala police on July 3.
Mr. Nagesh said the temple was the victim of the case and it had every right to participate in the proceedings. He submitted to the Belthangada court the relevant judgments of the Supreme Court and the Supreme Court. The court adjourned the matter to January 3 for further consideration of the request.
The SIT filed a 3,900-page report accusing Chinnaiah, activists Mahesh Shetty Thimarody, Girish Mattennavar, T. Jayanth and Vittal Gowda and Sujatha Bhat of perjury and other offences. The court sent the report on January 3 to take note.
Published – 31 Dec 2025 22:01 IST
