Daijiworld Media Network- Beltangady

Beltangady, Sep 2: The Special Investigation Team (SIT) has intensified its second phase of investigation into the Dharmasthala skull case, focusing on the movements of key accused Chinnayya.

On September 1 evening, the SIT raided a hotel about 1.5 km from Ujire, where Chinnayya is believed to have stayed six months ago. Officials examined the room register and seized CCTV footage. Records show that Chinnayya had spent a day at the hotel, holding discussions with Mattannanavar, Jayanth T and Vittal Gowda.

The SIT has sealed hotel records for further inquiry and is mapping the sequence of Chinnayya’s movements from that period, including his subsequent stay at the residence of Mahesh Shetty Thimarodi. Sources suggest Chinnayya shifted there fearing exposure if he continued at the hotel.

The SIT has already conducted searches at the houses of Mahesh Shetty Thimarodi, his brother, and Jayanth T in Bengaluru, seizing several documents. Investigators are now piecing together these records to build a comprehensive picture of the case.

Chinnayya to be produced in court on Sept 3

As Chinnayya’s police custody ends on September 3, he will be produced before the court. The SIT is expected to present details of the progress made so far and may seek an extension of custody for further questioning.

Premeditation suspected

The SIT is also probing whether the accused had identified locations for the crime nearly a year earlier. Based on confessions by Mahesh Shetty Thimarodi, Girish Mattannanavar and Jayanth T, investigators suspect that Chinnayya had been brought to the forest area at night to scout sites for burial. The accused are believed to have used trees and other landmarks to memorize the spots. During interrogation, SIT teams repeatedly quizzed Chinnayya about these locations.

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