Belthangady
In a significant development in the ongoing Dharmasthala Mass Burial Case investigation, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) has arrested Bheema, the whistleblower whose allegations triggered the probe. He was taken into custody on Saturday after two consecutive days of intense questioning.
According to SIT sources, Bheema was interrogated late into the night on Friday, with questioning continuing until 03:00 AM on Saturday 23rd August 2025. Investigators reportedly scrutinized every detail of his earlier claims. The arrest was made on grounds of perjury, as officials allege that he provided contradictory and misleading statements under oath.
Bheema, a former sanitation worker at Dharmasthala, initially alleged that he had been coerced into burying the bodies of numerous victims—including minors—who were subjected to sexual violence between 1995 and 2014. However, SIT officials now claim that his revised statements—where he admitted only to burying autopsy bodies—do not align with his original testimony, raising doubts about the consistency of his account.
A source within the Home Ministry told blrpost.com that Bheema was “interrogated throughout the day on Friday, with questioning continuing until the early hours of Saturday,” before being placed under arrest. However, officials have not disclosed further details, citing the sensitivity of the ongoing investigation.
The Karnataka State Government had constituted the SIT on July 19, 2025, following Bheema’s formal complaint at the Dharmasthala Police Station earlier that month. An FIR was registered on July 4, 2025, based on his allegations.
Since then, SIT teams have launched exhumation operations, which have so far led to the recovery of two sets of skeletal remains. These remains have been sent to the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) for analysis. Although digging has been temporarily halted, officials indicated that the process would likely resume in the coming days.
The arrest marks a turning point in the case, raising questions about the credibility of the whistleblower while simultaneously intensifying scrutiny on the broader allegations. The investigation remains active, and authorities have emphasized that all angles are being thoroughly pursued.
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