The Special Investigation Team probing the alleged mass grave case at Dharmasthala in Karnataka is preparing to file a 4,000-page charge sheet that names the activists who had initially raised the allegations. Sources confirmed that the SIT has completed its report, and the state government has cleared it for submission.
Karnataka Home Minister G. Parameshwara stated in Bengaluru that the SIT is authorised to submit the charge sheet within the mandated 90-day period. He added that details would be placed before the government and later presented in the winter session of the state legislature.
SIT officer Jitendra Kumar Dayama is expected to file the charge sheet before the Belthangady JMFC court. The document reportedly names six individuals, including the man known as Chinnayya&mdash;popularly referred to as the &ldquo;mask man&rdquo;&mdash;who initially claimed he was forced to bury victims of sexual assault and murder.
Investigators concluded after extensive interrogation that the complainant had misled authorities. The charge sheet includes his statements, findings from excavations across more than 17 sites, and all recorded inquiries. Supplementary evidence such as videos, photographs, and witness testimonies has also been included.
The case drew national attention after the complainant alleged that women and girls were murdered and buried in multiple locations around Dharmasthala. Excavations in August uncovered a male skeleton and several human bones, which were sent to the Forensic Science Laboratory for examination.
The revelations prompted calls from activists and a retired Supreme Court judge for a court-monitored investigation. The SIT later arrested the complainant on charges of providing false information and misleading the probe.
A high-level meeting chaired by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, the Home Minister, top police officials and SIT leadership reviewed the case status this week. As the investigation progresses, the SIT&rsquo;s findings are expected to clarify the events surrounding the allegations and determine whether a larger conspiracy was involved.
[Except for the headline, this article has not been edited by the Benefit News editorial team and is published directly from the IANS news feed.]
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Dharmasthala mass grave case escalates as SIT names activists in a massive charge sheet

SIT Files Charge Sheet in Grave Probe

Dharmasthala mass grave case escalates as SIT names activists in a massive charge sheet

November 20, 2025 | 20:53 IST