High Court seeks detailed report on Dharmasthala case complaints
Bengaluru: The Karnataka High Court has directed the Dakshina Kannada District Superintendent of Police to furnish a detailed report on the actions taken with respect to complaints seeking an in-depth investigation into the movements, activities, financial sources, and network connections of Mahesh Shetty Timarodi and others in the Dharmasthala case.
The directive comes in response to a petition filed by devotees of Dharmasthala — Tejas A. Gowda of Bengaluru, Bhaskar Badekottu of Ujire in Belthangady, and Surendra Prabhu and Dhanakeerthi Ariga of Dharmasthala.
The petitioners alleged that a systematic conspiracy was underway against Sri Kshetra Dharmasthala and its dharmadhikaris, involving individuals such as Mahesh Shetty Timarodi, Girish Mattannanavar, T. Jayanth and M.D. Sameer. They requested a comprehensive inquiry into their alleged coordinated activities and financial support systems.
Hearing the matter, Justice Suraj Govindaraj’s bench issued the direction to the district police and adjourned the case.
During the proceedings, counsel for the petitioners argued that despite filing complaints and representations on August 20, and September 5, 8 and 9, 2025 with the SIT, the Home Department, the DGP, the Bengaluru City Commissioner, the Dakshina Kannada SP, the Income Tax Department (Mangaluru), and the Enforcement Directorate, no action had been initiated.
Government counsel submitted that the SP would be instructed to provide details on the steps taken based on the complaints and sought time to place the information before the court.
SIT submits separate report to Belthangady court:
Meanwhile, in a related development, the SIT team investigating the Dharmasthala case recently submitted a detailed report before the Belthangady Additional Civil Judge (Junior Division) on November 20. The report pertains to alleged false evidence given by six individuals linked to the conspiracy case.
The SIT report, prepared by Investigating Officer Jitendra Kumar Dayama and his team, names accused Chinnayya (currently in jail), Mahesh Shetty Timarodi, Girish Mattannanavar, Jayanth T., Soujanya Mava Vittal Gowda, and Sujatha Bhatt. They have been booked under Section 215 for allegedly providing fabricated testimony.
The report spans 3,923 pages, detailing the findings of the investigation. The SIT has also noted that five of the accused have not been cooperating with the investigation, a fact that has been brought to the attention of the court.
The High Court’s direction adds further scrutiny to the ongoing investigation, as multiple agencies face questions over their handling of earlier complaints.
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