Dharmasthala case.
Credit: DH Photo/Fakruddin H
Mangaluru: Ganesh, son of Narayana, a mahout, who was murdered along with his sister in 2012 in Dharmasthala, submitted a petition once again to the SIT on Wednesday, urging a comprehensive investigation into the double murder. The murder had taken place on September 21, 2012, in the village of Boorje, Dharmasthala.
Pressing for a reinvestigation of the case, Narayana’s children, Ganesh and Bharati from Meelanthabetta, Belthangady taluk, had earlier filed a complaint with the SIT on August 18.
The perpetrators of the murder have not been identified so far. The police who probed the case had submitted a “C-report” to the Belthangady court. Questioning it, Narayana’s family had filed a writ in the Karnataka High Court.
“When we previously filed a complaint, SIT officials informed us that since the matter is in the High Court, it cannot be considered for investigation. We have withdrawn our petition in the court. We have attached a copy of the same and filed another complaint with the SIT. We have appealed to probe into the double murder case," Ganesh told media persons.
“We have faith in the SIT. That’s why we have filed the petition. The SIT officials who in turn have promised to discuss it with senior officials and take action," Ganesh said.
Illegal funding
A businessman and devotee of Shri Kshetra Dharmasthala has submitted a petition to the SIT on September 9, regarding suspected illegal funding, criminal conspiracy, and 'narrative terrorism' targeting Shri Kshetra Dharmasthala and its Dharmadhikari, D Veerendra Heggade.
Surendra Prabhu, in his petition stated that for the last several years, a large number of YouTube channels and social media platforms have been continuously publishing defamatory, provocative, misleading content and one-sided narrative with the intention of creating a false narrative against the temple.
"These activities appear to be part of a carefully planned conspiracy. This false propaganda was not confined to Karnataka alone but was deliberately extended to audiences in Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, and Kerala, and further projected to a larger national and international audience through certain Hindu and English channels," he alleged.
He said that the copy of the petition was also sent to the Income Tax Central Range office, Enforcement Directorate, Mangaluru, and SP Dakshina Kannada.