The SIT will again record the statement of Chinnayya under section 180 of Bharatiya Nagaraik Surakha Sanhita (BNSS) and likely to be recorded in the prison
Belthangady/Bengaluru
Chinnayya’s statement given before the magistrate in the Belthangady court on July 11 is still valid even after he gave a second statement under Section 183 of the BNSS. Sources in the Home Ministry said that, for the purpose of investigation, the first statement is being read together with the second.
It may be recalled that Chinnayya filed a complaint at the Dharmasthala Police Station on July 3, alleging that he was coerced to bury bodies illegally and that some individuals had been subjected to violence. He reiterated the same allegations in court under Section 183 of the BNSS. Based on his statement, the Karnataka government constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) on July 19 to probe the allegations.
For more than two weeks, the SIT carried out exhumation operations and found two skeletal remains. Later, on August 23, the SIT arrested Chinnayya on charges of perjury and forgery, after he claimed that he had lied in court. His statement was once again recorded under the same section.
- Complaint filed: On July 3, 2025, Chinnayya, a former sanitation worker, filed a complaint with the Dharmasthala police. He alleged that between 1995 and 2014, he was forced to bury hundreds of bodies, many with signs of sexual assault, and disclosed at least 13 suspected burial sites.
- Initial statement recorded under BNSS section 183: On July 11, 2025, Chinnayya recorded his voluntary statement before a magistrate in Belthangady under Section 183 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS). During this testimony, he also produced a skull and some bones as evidence.
- SIT established: Amid public outrage, the Karnataka government formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to investigate the allegations on July 19, 2025.
- Arrested for perjury: The SIT arrested Chinnayya on August 23, 2025, for perjury (lying under oath). Forensic tests revealed that the skull he had presented in court was not human, and he later confessed to providing a false statement under coercion.
- Second statement recorded:After his arrest, Chinnayya requested to record a fresh statement. This was done over three sessions on September 23, 25, and 27, 2025, during which he admitted to lying and implicated others.
Sources said there are certain aspects that match in both statements, and at face value, one cannot conclude that Chinnayya’s second statement is true. Therefore, a fair investigation is necessary, and for this purpose, the first statement is being read along with the second.
It should be noted that after recording his second statement, the SIT questioned his wife and sister. The SIT, along with a forensic team, also visited the dental clinic run by M. M. Dayakar. As part of the ongoing probe, the SIT will again record Chinnayya’s police statement under Section 180 of the BNSS. Sources said the SIT has already applied in court to record the statement, which is likely to be done in Shivamogga Prison.
