Bengaluru, Aug 23 (IANS) Commenting on the arrest of the unidentified complainant, referred to as the “mask man”, in connection with the mass grave case at Dharmasthala in Karnataka’s Mangaluru district, Union Minister of State for Jal Shakti and Railways V. Somanna said on Saturday that Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah will have pay a price for hurting the religious sentiments of seven crore Kannadigas.

Speaking to reporters in Tumakuru, Union Minister Somanna said, “Dharmasthala is a place with thousands of years of history. When the Special Investigation Team (SIT) was formed, we had met the probe agency’s chief in Delhi and told him that all allegations and complaints were fake. The truth, however bitter, always comes out. Lies were projected on a large scale, and the whole world saw it — the media inevitably had to cover it.”

“We had welcomed the investigation. Now, if anyone can be held responsible for the sinful acts committed towards hurting religious sentiments, it is Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. He will have to pay for this. Imagine the trauma endured not only by the families of the temple authorities but also by crores of devotees across Karnataka and beyond,” the Union Minister added.

“The attempt was made to tarnish the sanctity of Dharmasthala. I had repeatedly said behind closed doors that the complainant was a fraud. He is just a civic worker, and what are his limitations? Without understanding him or verifying his claims, by succumbing to communal forces, you (CM Siddaramaiah) have hurt the sentiments of seven crore Kannadigas,” he emphasised.

Taking to social media platform X, former Chief Minister and BJP MP Basavaraj Bommai said, “Satyameva Jayate (Truth alone prevails)”. “Dharmo Rakshati Rakshitah (Dharma protects those who protect it)”. In the Dharmasthala case, the state government must hand over the investigation to the National Investigation Agency (NIA) to reveal who is behind the conspiracy and those named by the mask man Chinnayya must be arrested and investigated; otherwise, people may conclude that the state government itself is part of the conspiracy. To avoid this, the investigation must be handed over to the NIA.”

“In the Dharmasthala case, the SIT is doing at the end what should have been done in the beginning. Without verifying the credibility of the complainant, the merit of the complaint, and the supporting evidence, the SIT was formed and began digging blindly, like starting work in darkness,” Bommai added.

It is clear, he said, that the purpose of forming the SIT and the motives of certain people within it were to bring disrepute to Dharmasthala, create suspicion, and tarnish its image.

“Believing that such a narrative would receive support from the state government, they exerted pressure, and in response, the state government constituted the SIT.”

“The fact that competent police officers within the SIT were not given complete freedom is evident from the way the investigation has proceeded. At one stage, when the media was revealing details of every excavation, the moral courage of the government eroded, and it was forced to face widespread public outrage. Realising the strength of the BJP’s movement, the state (Congress) government altered its objective and the course of the probe, and only now has the real investigation begun,” Bommai said while criticising the Congress-led state government.

“In other related cases, since the Mangaluru police conducted proper investigations and brought out the truth, the SIT too has had no choice but to move towards uncovering the truth,” the former Chief Minister added.

“Looking at how international media has given publicity to the matter, it is clear that instead of controlling the smear campaign against Dharmasthala, the state government has failed to curb it. Therefore, there is no confidence that the SIT probe will bring out the truth. To reveal who is really behind this conspiracy, the state government must hand over the case to the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and arrest and question those named by the mask man. If this is not done, people may conclude that the state government itself is part of the conspiracy. To prevent this, the investigation must be handed over to the NIA,” Bommai said.

In a major development, the SIT have arrested the unidentified complainant, also referred to as the “mask man”, in connection with the Dharmasthala case on Saturday.

The complainant was arrested on charges of providing false information related to the Dharmasthala case.

The Karnataka court later on Saturday handed over the unidentified complainant, referred to as the “mask man”, to 10-day police custody of the SIT in connection with the Dharmasthala case.

The SIT had sought his custody, citing the need for a comprehensive investigation and further inquiry into the matter.

The SIT also submitted before the court that there is suspicion of the involvement of more people behind the unidentified complainant.

Considering the request, the court granted his custody to the SIT.

Following the order, SIT sleuths brought him to their office, where the investigation is continuing.

–IANS

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