Bengaluru: The alleged conspiracy to defame Dharmasthala through sensational but baseless claims has taken a serious turn. The Special Investigation Team (SIT), which has been probing the shocking allegations made by masked man Chinnaiah who claimed to have buried “hundreds of bodies” in Dharmasthala has now uncovered explosive evidence suggesting that a coordinated gang was behind the fabrication.
For the second consecutive day, SIT officials carried out intensive searches in Bengaluru, following leads that stretched from Dharmasthala to the state capital. On Saturday, investigators raided the house of Jayant T. in Peenya in the presence of Chinnaiah himself. Moving forward, the SIT tracked down crucial information that linked the entire conspiracy to a service apartment in Vidyaranyapura.
According to SIT findings, a group of five individuals plotted the sensational “Burude” (skull) narrative in a BK Block service apartment in Vidyaranyapura. Here, the gang including the masked man Chinnaiah allegedly devised the story that later triggered outrage against Dharmasthala.
Those suspected of playing a role in this conspiracy include leader Mahesh Shetty Timarodi, activists Girish Mattannavar, T. Jayant, Sujatha Bhat, and Chinnaiah himself. Investigators believe they deliberately hatched this plan to malign one of Karnataka’s most respected religious and cultural institutions.
Every inch of the apartment under the scanner
The SIT meticulously combed through the service apartment. Officers examined booking records, identified who stayed in which room, checked how often it was reserved, and reviewed CCTV footage. The ledger book, too, was seized for verification. Each step of the search and interrogation was video recorded for evidence.
Investigators also discovered that activist Girish Mattannavar’s personal residence lies barely 1.5 kilometers from the service apartment, raising further suspicion of coordination.
The investigation revealed that the gang had first met at a lodge in Tindlu Circle, Vidyaranyapura, nearly four to five months before moving operations to the service apartment. This indicates a sustained, deliberate conspiracy, not an overnight fabrication. On these leads, a 20-member SIT team led by SP Simon searched the lodge as well.
Admission by a gang member
One of the key conspirators and complainant Jayant T., has reportedly admitted that Chinnaiah was sheltered at his Bengaluru home for three days before the complaint was filed. In a statement to Organiser , Jayant said:
“It is true that Chinnaiah stayed in my house. We even had dinner together. Later, we took him to Delhi along with Sujatha and Mattanna. From there, we brought him back to Mangaluru. I did not realize it would spiral into such a major controversy.”
Jayant went further, claiming that a year ago, Chinnaiah and his associates even met a Swamiji. He has challenged the others involved to reveal which Math and which Swamiji they met, declaring that he is ready to face any punishment if proven guilty.
The SIT probe has also unearthed another stunning detail: after crafting the fabricated Burude story, the gang took their claims all the way to Delhi. They reportedly met lawyers and even attempted to push the narrative in the Supreme Court, using Chinnaiah’s allegations as a tool.
Jayant himself released a photograph purportedly showing their visit to Delhi with Chinnaiah, suggesting how far the group was willing to go to lend legitimacy to their claims.
The latest revelations clearly suggest a calculated attempt to smear Dharmasthala’s name and credibility. The gang allegedly sought to weave a narrative shocking enough to attract national attention, deliberately dragging the revered institution into controversy.
The SIT, armed with Chinnaiah’s statements and mounting documentary evidence, is tightening the noose around those involved. Investigators are now focusing on uncovering whether others beyond the known five conspirators played a role. With strong leads pointing to Bengaluru as the epicenter of the entire plan, the possibility of further arrests cannot be ruled out.
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