Dharmasthala burials case: ‘No police officer has sought to be excluded from SIT’

Amid speculation that two IPS officers, who are part of the Special Investigation Team (SIT) set up to probe into the allegations of a series of murders and burials at Dharmasthala in Dakshina Kannada district, have sought to be excluded from the team, Home Minister G. Parameshwara said on Monday that such claims were not true.

In response to a question on whether any member of the SIT has opted not to be in the team citing personal reasons, he said, “I am not aware of it. They are senior officers in responsible positions.”

On Sunday, the State government constituted the SIT, headed by IPS officer Pronab Mohanty, Director-General of Police, Internal Security Division.

M.N. Anucheth, Deputy Inspector-General of Police (Recruitment), and IPS officers Sowmyalatha S.K. and Jitendra Kumar Dayama are part of the team.

None of the officers approached the government or the Home Department saying that they would not be part of SIT. “I don’t know why the media is saying that,” the Home Minister said.

On comments by former Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa and his son B.Y. Raghavendra, MP, against investigating the allegations, Dr. Parameshwara said, “Who demanded an investigation? Many people from the region, including progressive thinkers and others, have sought it. A complaint was also filed about it.”

“We should know whether the alleged sexual assaults and murders took place or not. If we prolong this, then it will not be right as per the law. Therefore, we have sought a probe. I don’t know what will come out of it,” the Home Minister said.