Mahesh Shetty Thimarody
Credit: X/@MaheshThimarody
Mangaluru: The Special Investigation Team (SIT) has issued accused notices to five individuals, directing them to appear before the investigation officer on October 27, for questioning.
The notices have been served to Mahesh Shetty Thimarody, Girish Mattannavar, T Jayant, Vittal Gowda, and Sujatha Bhat. SIT sources told DH that these individuals were earlier issued witness notices.
However, based on the recent findings and corroborative evidences, they have now been served accused notices, signifying a crucial shift in the nature of their involvement in the case.
Meanwhile, SIT chief Pronab Mohanty visited SIT office in Beltangady on Saturday to review the progress of the investigation.
The investigative team is in the process of preparing a comprehensive report to be submitted to the court soon. The report will include the findings from the field investigations, witness statements, and technical evidence gathered so far.
Meanwhile, the forensic science laboratory (FSL) reports related to the skeletal remains discovered at spot number 6, near spot number 11, and Bangleggudde are awaited. The remains, which were exhumed under the supervision of forensic experts, are undergoing multiple levels of scientific analysis.
Apart from the regular FSL tests, certain articles and biological samples have been sent to an environmental DNA expert at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru, for specialised examination. These analyses are expected to provide deeper insights into the identity of the deceased and the circumstances surrounding the burial.