Daijiworld Media Network – Bengaluru

Bengaluru, July 30: Home minister Dr G Parameshwara on Wednesday said the state government will take a call on replacing IPS officer Pranab Mohanty, the current chief of the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the alleged mass burials and abuse case in Dharmasthala, should he proceed on central deputation.

Mohanty, who serves as the director general of police (internal security), has reportedly been shortlisted among DGP-rank officers eligible for central government service. His likely transfer has raised questions about continuity in the high-stakes investigation.

“If Pranab Mohanty moves to central service, we’ll examine what legal provisions allow,” Parameshwara told reporters. “If permitted, he may continue as SIT head. If not, the government will appoint another officer of equivalent rank,” he clarified.

Asked about the SIT’s progress, the minister declined to comment. “I won’t speak on the Dharmasthala SIT probe until the investigation is completed and a report is submitted,” he said.

Allegations of abuse and secret burials under probe

The SIT was constituted by the state government to investigate alarming allegations of murders, sexual assaults, and mass burials in Dharmasthala, said to have occurred over a span of nearly 20 years.

A former civic worker, who served in Dharmasthala between 1995 and 2014, has submitted a statement before a magistrate alleging he was forced to bury numerous bodies, including those of women and minors. He further claimed that some of the bodies showed signs of sexual assault.

Structure of the SIT

The SIT, currently led by DGP Pranab Mohanty, comprises:

• M N Anucheth, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Recruitment)

• Jitendra Kumar Dayama, IPS officer

To assist in the investigation, the team has been reinforced with 20 officers—including inspectors, sub-inspectors, head constables, and constables—from the districts of Udupi, Dakshina Kannada, and Uttara Kannada.

The case, involving grave allegations of systemic abuse, remains under active investigation. The state’s decision on SIT leadership could impact how the sensitive probe proceeds in the weeks ahead.