MANGALURU: The Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the alleged Dharmasthala mass burial case on Wednesday submitted a 7,005-page final report before the court of the Additional Civil Judge and JMFC in Belthangady.The report was submitted by SP CA Simon and includes additional documents. According to assistant public prosecutor Divyaraj Hegde, the 12-volume report contains statements from around 255 witnesses, forensic science laboratory (FSL) reports, a 4TB hard disk containing video-recorded statements, and forensic evidence, including skeletal remains and bones seized during the investigation.The next hearing in the case has been scheduled for August 29, Hegde said.In November last year, the SIT had filed a 3,923-page report before the court under Section 215(2)(b) of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS). The report named six persons — CN Chinnayya, Sujatha Bhat, Vittal Gowda, Jayath T. , Girish Mattannavar and Mahesh Shetty Thimarody.The SIT also invoked perjury provisions against Chinnayya, stating that a person who makes a statement before a court under oath cannot give false testimony.It may be recalled that the Karnataka government, through an order dated July 19 last year, transferred the investigation into the Dharmasthala burial allegations to the SIT.Headed by Pronab Mohanty, DGP of the Internal Security Division, the SIT took over Case No. 39/2025 registered at the Dharmasthala Police Station under Section 211(a) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).The case was registered after complainant Chinnayya sought witness protection and offered to cooperate with investigators by providing information about the alleged perpetrators and the locations where bodies had allegedly been disposed of. Following his complaint, the Dharmasthala police registered the case on July 4 last year.
