Overview
- A writ filed by C.N. Chinnaiah alleges he was used by activists and influencers in a paid plot with a purported ₹200‑crore budget to malign Dharmasthala and its leaders.
- The Karnataka High Court issued notices to the Home Department, the Mangaluru police, the SIT and local officers on Friday and set a June 29 deadline for a status report from investigators.
- Actor Prakash Raj has publicly denied involvement in the petition’s claims and said he will address the media in person within days.
- The SIT’s earlier excavation work in 2025 recovered only limited skeletal material, led to a preliminary report that raised questions about the complainant’s statements, and prompted perjury proceedings against Chinnaiah.
- State BJP leaders have demanded the SIT report be made public and called for probes into alleged funding links, while officials say the new financial and interstate funding accusations remain unverified until the SIT files its court response.