MANGALURU: The Special Investigation Team (SIT) began its investigation into the Dharmasthala mass burial case, and the whistleblower, who is also the witness-complainant in the case, recorded his statement before investigating officer Jitendra Kumar Dayama on Saturday.
The SIT has set up office at the PWD Inspection Bungalow (IB) at Mallikatte in Kadri in Mangaluru.
On Friday, SIT officials DIG MN Anucheth and Dayama arrived in Mangaluru and officially took over the case files from the Dakshina Kannada police. After formal procedures, they collected preliminary information in the case. On Friday night, Dayama visited the Dharmasthala police station and collected additional information. “We have taken over the case and started the investigation,” an official, part of the SIT, said.
Sources said that the advocates representing the witness-complainant were issued notices on Friday to appear before the SIT to record his statement. On Saturday, the whistleblower arrived at the SIT office with his advocates around 11 am and recorded his statement till evening. A senior police officer, part of the SIT, said that another office will be established at Belthangady, while a helpline too will be set up.
The complainant, who was a sanitation worker, had filed a complaint with the Dakshina Kannada SP and Dharmasthala police station, alleging that he was threatened into burying bodies of persons who were victims of rape and murder in Dharmasthala village and surrounding areas.
A case was registered at the Dharmasthala police station on July 4. The state government constituted the SIT on July 19 and it is headed by Pranav Mohanty, DIG, Internal Security Division, with DIG (Recruitment) MN Anucheth, DCP of the CAR headquarters Soumyalatha and SP Jitendra Kumar Dayama as members. The decision to form the SIT came after Karnataka State Women’s Commission Chairperson Nagalakshmi Choudhary wrote a letter to the state government.