The Karnataka High Court, on Thursday, October 9 issued notices to the State Government, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the Dharmasthala case, the Income Tax Department and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in response to a petition filed by four individuals seeking action on their complaints alleging a foreign-funded campaign against the Dharmasthala Temple and its trustees.
The petitioners — Tejas A Gowda, a resident of Bengaluru and Dhanakirthi Ariga, Bhaskar Badekottu and Surendra Prabhu, all from Belthangady taluk in Dakshina Kannada district, have urged the authorities to consider their representations and initiate appropriate proceedings.
The court directed the officials to file objections and adjourned the hearing to October 16.
In their complaints, the petitioners sought action against activists Mahesh Shetty Thimarody and Girish Mattannavar, along with several YouTubers, alleging that they received funding and were involved with foreign agencies in conducting a campaign against the Dharmasthala Manjunatha Swamy Temple, its Dharmadhikari, his family members and associated institutions, according to Times of India.
The petitioners contended that despite the passage of considerable time since their complaints were filed on August 20, September 5, 8 and 9, 2025, the concerned authorities have failed to take any action.
The case stems when complaint-witness Chinnaiah, in July 2025, claimed that he was forced to illegally bury hundreds of bodies, including that of several women and children who appeared to have been sexually assaulted.
He was arrested on August 18 after the SIT found discrepancies in the evidence he produced. The SIT said the human skull he claimed to have exhumed from an alleged burial site was, in fact, handed over to him by another individual.