Dharmasthala mass burial case: SIT urges court to take cognisance of final report on false complaint

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45-year-old C.N. Chinna being produced by the SIT before the Additional Civil Judge Court in Bethangady. | Photo Credit: FILE PHOTO

The Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the Dharmasthala mass burial case urged the Belthangady court on Saturday to take cognisance of its final report on the false complaint filed by C.N. Chinna alias Chinnaiah and sought action against Chinna, activists Mahesh Shetty Thimarody, Girish Mattennavar, T. Jayanth, Vittal Gowda and Sujatha Bhat.

Prosecutor Divyaraj Hegde, representing the SIT, told the Additional Civil Judge and Judicial Magistrate First Class, Belthangady, that the final report was filed under Section 215 (Prosecution for contempt of lawful authority of public servants, for offences against public justice) of the Bharatiya Nagarika Suraksha Sanhita.

Chinna and five others were accused of offences punishable under Sections 227 (giving false evidence), 228 (fabricating false evidence), 229, 230 (giving or fabricating false evidence with intent to procure conviction of capital offence), 231 (giving or fabricating false evidence with intent to procure conviction of offence punishable with imprisonment for life), 233 (using evidence known to be false), 236 (false statement made in declaration which is by law receivable as evidence), 240 (giving false information with respect to an offence), 248 (false charge of offence made with intent to injure) and 336 (forgery) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.

Mr. Hegde requested the court to treat the final report as a complaint and initiate necessary criminal proceedings against Chinna and the five other accused. The court posted the matter to October 3 to hear the five accused on the final report

A team led by SIT Superintendent of Police C.A. Simon filed the 7,005-page final report before Additional Civil Judge and Judicial Magistrate First Class, Belthangady, Shashank Nagendra Bhat, on July 15. Along with the report, the SIT also submitted related material objects.

Taking over the investigation from the Dharmasthala police, the SIT arrested Chinna for filing a false complaint and making false statements before the court regarding the mass burial of bodies in Dharmasthala village. The SIT found that he filed the complaint under pressure from activists Thimarody, Mattennavar, Jayanth, and Vittala Gowda. After the four activists failed to appear before the SIT investigating officer for inquiry, the SIT filed a preliminary 3,900-page report against Chinna, the four activists, and Sujatha Bhat, who was accused of filing a false complaint about her missing daughter in Dharmasthala. Following directions from the court on January 3, the SIT submitted the final report, along with the preliminary report, on July 15.

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