Girish Mattannanavar, speaking to reporters at Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) in Bengaluru, made several serious allegations and calls for action concerning the high-profile Dharmasthala case.
Concerns Over the Investigation Report
Mattannanavar highlighted a report prepared on the Dharmasthala case, stating that its contents must be maintained with secrecy and confidentiality. He mentioned that an expected four-thousand-page report is due to be submitted within the next couple of days. He also noted that advocate Dorairaju Sir had argued that the accused should be made aware of the allegations against them.
The Role of Witness Chinnayya
A significant portion of his statement focused on the key witness, Chinnayya. Mattannanavar clarified that Chinnayya is not an activist but a pourakarmika (civic worker).
- He stressed the importance of knowing what Chinnayya's full statement was.
- He also pointed out the confusing registration of cases, noting that the case is officially registered as the "Dharmasthala Case," and not as a "Burude (skull) Case."
- Mattannanavar revealed that Chinnayya was allegedly threatened during the investigation. "Every night during the investigation, Chinnayya would tell me that officials would intimidate him, saying they would hang him if the skeletal remains were not found at the spot he mentioned. Because of this, he is scared," Mattannanavar stated.
Missing Persons and Unidentified Bodies
Mattannanavar raised grave suspicions regarding the sheer number of missing complaints and the record of unidentified bodies:
- He confirmed that many missing complaints have been filed and are currently under investigation.
- He specifically mentioned the case of Chinnayya bringing in a "burude" (a piece of bone or skull) as a separate case.
- He cited serious concerns over a document detailing 76 unidentified bodies, some cases dating back 20 years. "All of this raises serious suspicion, and our only objective is that there must be a thorough investigation," he asserted.
Call for SIT Reconstitution
The central demand made by Mattannanavar was the reconstitution of the Special Investigation Team (SIT).
- He claimed that there are serious allegations against the lower-level officials of the current SIT.
- He argued that an investigation cannot proceed with such officials in charge, necessitating a new SIT probe.
- Efforts for Chinnayya's Bail
Mattannanavar also touched upon the matter of securing bail for Chinnayya. He admitted that he and others have been advising many people to help secure bail for Chinnayya, fearing he might disappear otherwise. "If I were from Belthangady or Shivamogga, I would have provided it myself," he said, and expressed concern that Chinnayya's family members are repeatedly giving false statements, although he confirmed that they are a working-class family and efforts are being made to get Chinnayya released.
