Bengaluru: In a surprising development in the Dharmasthala “mass burial” case, Karnataka police have arrested the complainant for allegedly providing false information. The whistleblower, who had been wearing a mask to conceal his identity, was taken into custody following over 20 hours of intense interrogation by the Special Investigation Team (SIT).

The complainant had earlier accused the Dharmasthala temple administration of carrying out illegal mass burials of women who were raped and murdered. Acting on his claims, authorities had conducted excavations at 17 locations in the temple town, but the SIT reportedly found no substantial evidence to support the allegations. During the interrogation, the complainant confessed to being lured by certain individuals to make the allegations and push for a specific investigative outcome.

On July 11, the complainant had claimed that he was forced to bury the bodies of raped and murdered women and girls, alleging clear signs of sexual assault on the victims. He had requested that the bodies be exhumed in his presence and had submitted a skull allegedly recovered from one of the burial sites. He had also been placed under the Witness Protection Act, though reports suggest that this protection may now be revoked.

In a related development, the Brahmavar police in Udipi district arrested Mahesh Shetty Thimarodi, president of the Rashtriya Hindu Jagarana Vedike, for derogatory remarks against senior BJP leader BL Santhosh. This case is unrelated to the Dharmasthala mass burial allegations. Thimarodi has been remanded to 14 days in judicial custody, with his bail application scheduled to be heard on August 24.