BENGALURU: State BJP leaders urged Chief Minister DK Shivakumar to order a CBI probe into the alleged conspiracy targeted at Dharmasthala and Dharmadhikari D Veerendra Heggade.
MLC CT Ravi has written to the State Government to hand over the case to the CBI for a comprehensive and impartial investigation. “As this issue concerns the faith of millions of devotees, religious sentiments, and public trust, I urge the government to treat the matter with utmost seriousness and immediately recommend a CBI investigation’’ he urged.
According to him, the institution has set a national example through its contributions in social service, education, healthcare and mass-feeding programmes.
“Over the past few years, however, the people of Karnataka have witnessed a continuous targeting, allegations, propaganda and an atmosphere of suspicion being created against both the institution and Veerendra Heggade.”
He said the recent high court petition has given a serious and new dimension to the matter. “According to media reports, the petition names several individuals, including actor Prakash Raj, Mahesh Shetty Timarodi, Girish Mattannavar, Vitthal Gowda, Jayanth, and YouTubers Sameer MD and others.
Now a serious allegation has been made before the court that an organised and systematic conspiracy costing nearly Rs 200 crore was planned against Dharmasthala and also Heggade. Whether these allegations are true or false must be determined through a proper investigation,” he said.