Dharmasthala skull case: Senior advocates appear for Sri Kshetra Dharmasthala; court order awaited on January 3

Belthangady: In a significant development in the much-publicised Dharmasthala skull case, legal representation has now been formally submitted on behalf of Sri Kshetra Dharmasthala before the Belthangady court.

Senior advocate C.V. Nagesh from Bengaluru and advocate Mahesh Kaje from Puttur have entered their appearance in connection with Crime No. 39/2025 registered at the Dharmasthala police station.

The case, which triggered nationwide attention due to serious allegations involving human remains, is currently under investigation by a Special Investigation Team (SIT). The SIT has already submitted its status report to the Belthangady court.

According to sources, the report indicates that a larger conspiracy was allegedly hatched to defame Sri Kshetra Dharmasthala, though no concrete action has yet been initiated against the accused named in the report.

With senior lawyers now representing Dharmasthala, the case has taken a new legal turn. This marks the first time that arguments will be formally advanced in court on behalf of Sri Kshetra Dharmasthala in this matter.

The Belthangady court is scheduled to pass an order on January 3 after examining the SIT report, making the upcoming hearing crucial for the future course of the case. The SIT investigation has reportedly concluded that a group, now referred to as the “skull gang,” orchestrated a false narrative against Dharmasthala.

The accused include Chinnayya, Mahesh Timarodi, Girish Mattannavar, Vitthal Gowda, T. Jayanth and Sujatha Bhatt. The SIT report states that the conspiracy was allegedly driven by financial motives, with Chinnayya being lured by monetary inducements to fabricate claims.

As per the investigation findings, Chinnayya was allegedly persuaded to claim that he had buried unidentified bodies. Videos were recorded in which he was made to give false statements.

The SIT further revealed that Vitthal Gowda, who was known to Chinnayya, brought him to Mahesh Timarodi’s house, where meetings were held involving other accused. During these meetings, plans were allegedly drawn up to implicate Dharmasthala supervisors and damage the institution’s reputation.

Investigators have stated that Chinnayya was allegedly handed a human skull and instructed to lodge a complaint with the police. He was also allegedly coached to give a statement before a judicial magistrate to lend credibility to the fabricated story.

These revelations, already part of the SIT report, have significantly weakened the original allegations that sparked public outrage. Despite these findings, questions have been raised over the lack of immediate action against the accused, prompting Dharmasthala’s decision to actively intervene in the legal proceedings.

Legal experts believe that the formal entry of senior counsel could lead to stronger arguments seeking action against those accused of conspiracy and false evidence.

With the court set to review the SIT report and pass orders on January 3, all eyes are now on the Belthangady judiciary. The outcome is expected to have far-reaching implications, not only for the accused but also for restoring the reputation of Sri Kshetra Dharmasthala, a prominent religious and charitable institution.

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