Dharmasthala 'mass burial' case: Next hearing on September 27

Mangaluru: The Belthangady court, after recording the statements of the complainant-witness, has fixed the next hearing on September 27 in connection with the alleged Dharmasthala mass burial case.

The complainant-witness, currently in judicial custody at Shivamogga jail, was first produced before the judge on September 18. However, his statements could not be recorded as the judge felt he was being influenced.

The hearing was then postponed to September 23. On that day, the recording of statements began but remained incomplete, and the court extended the next hearing to Thursday, September 25.

Even on Thursday, the statements could not be fully recorded, forcing the court to schedule the next hearing for September 27.

A senior SIT source said the team’s next course of action depends entirely on the content of the witness’s testimony.

“We need to verify whether his statements corroborate with those recorded during the SIT investigation. Only then can a decision on the continuation of the case be taken,” the source said.

The official clarified that since the statements were recorded in-camera under Section 183 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNS), the contents remain sealed.

“As the recording is still incomplete, the sealed cover of the partially recorded statement has not been opened. Thus, it is not possible to know what exactly the witness has revealed in court,” the official added.

Sisters appear before SIT

Following the identification of one of the driving licences found on a skeleton as belonging to Adishesha Narayan, his sisters, accompanied by their husbands, appeared before the SIT team in Belthangady.

SIT sources said Narayan, who worked as a cashier in a bar in Gubbi in Tumakuru district, went missing on August 2, 2013.

A missing person case had not been registered at the jurisdictional police station, the sources added.