Beltangady: The Belthangady taluk court has directed the special investigating team to fast track its probe and submit a detailed report in the controversial Dharmasthala burial case

The directive was issued by additional judge Vijayanendra H.T. during a hearing on Saturday. Stressing the gravity of the allegations, the court instructed the SIT to avoid further delays and complete the investigation expeditiously.

The case has been posted for the next hearing on January 23.

The case revolves around allegations that hundreds of bodies were buried in Dharmasthala village to conceal evidence linked to alleged criminal activities. The SIT had submitted its preliminary findings before the JMFC court on November 20, outlining the initial course of the investigation.

Senior SIT officials, including Superintendent of Police C.A. Simon and Deputy Superintendent of Police Lokesh, appeared before the court along with other officers.

As per the SIT’s report, six individuals allegedly attempted to mislead the judiciary by fabricating narratives and obstructing the investigation. The report explains in detail how these actions were allegedly carried out to derail judicial proceedings.

The individuals named in the case are Chinnayya, Mahesh Shetty Thimarodi, Girish Mattannavar, Vittal Gowda, Jayanth T, and Sujatha Bhat.

The court underlined that the seriousness of the allegations, coupled with widespread public concern, necessitates a swift and impartial investigation. It observed that the matter has far-reaching implications and must be handled with utmost diligence.

The SIT has now been tasked with concluding the probe and placing its final report before the court in the coming weeks.