Mangaluru: A court in Belthangady, Karnataka, has granted bail to C.N. Chinnaiah, the primary complainant and witness in the Dharmasthala alleged mass burial case, even as the Special Investigation Team (SIT) investigating the matter has filed a report recommending prosecution for perjury. Chinnaiah, a former sanitation worker in Dharmasthala, created national attention earlier this year after alleging that numerous bodies of missing persons including women and minors were secretly buried in the pilgrimage town between 1995 and 2014. His complaint led to a large-scale inquiry by a specially constituted SIT.

However, after months of investigation involving site inspections, witness statements, and forensic verification, the SIT has stated that many of the allegations could not be corroborated. In its report to the court, the team said that inconsistencies in Chinnaiah’s statements appeared deliberate and suggested further legal proceedings under Section 215 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), which deals with false testimony before investigative agencies.

Chinnaiah was arrested on August 23 and initially remanded to SIT custody before being shifted to judicial custody. Earlier bail applications had been rejected due to the seriousness of the case and the still-ongoing investigation. His release now comes with conditions restricting his mobility and directing cooperation with investigators.

During the inquiry, 13 burial sites identified by Chinnaiah were examined. While forensic teams recovered human remains from two locations, the remaining sites produced no conclusive evidence. Investigators have maintained that further scientific testing and legal scrutiny will determine the next steps.

The case has sparked widespread debate on issues ranging from accountability of powerful religious institutions to the evidentiary reliability of whistleblowers in sensitive cases. Authorities continue to stress that the final outcome will depend on forensic results and court evaluations expected in the coming weeks.