Daijiworld Media Network – Beltangady
Belthangady, Jan 1: In a dramatic turn in the high-profile Dharmasthala case, the temple has, for the first time, formally filed legal representation in Belthangady court concerning the alleged unauthorised burial of bodies in the village.
Senior advocate C V Nagesh from Bengaluru and advocate Mahesh Kaje from Puttur appeared on behalf of the temple on Wednesday, requesting that the institution be recognised as a victim party in the proceedings. The court has adjourned the hearing to January 3.
The case remains under investigation by a Special Investigation Team (SIT), which has submitted a detailed report to the Belthangady court.
The report names six individuals accused of conspiring against the Dharmasthala temple. However, no action has been taken against the accused so far, and the court continues to consider the SIT’s pending application in the matter.
This marks the first direct involvement of the Dharmasthala temple in the proceedings. Speaking to the media after the hearing, advocate Mahesh Kaje said, “The legal representation has been filed on the basis that the temple is a victim in this case.”
The petition also emphasises that the Dharmasthala temple itself has been mentioned in the case and seeks permission for the temple to actively participate in the proceedings alongside other affected parties. All supporting documents have been submitted to the court, and no objections were raised.
Jitendra Dayam, the chief investigating officer of the Dharmasthala unauthorised burial case, has been appointed as senior officer of Chikkamagaluru district by the government. Observers note that this is seen as a recognition of his handling of one of the most widely discussed cases in the public domain.
An IPS officer of the 2019 batch, Jitendra has served in non-executive capacities including the Anti-Naxal Force (ANF). During his tenure in the ANF, he supervised the Vikrangauda encounter and played a key role in the surrender of Naxals, earning accolades for his contribution to law enforcement operations.