An activist long associated with the contentious special investigation team (SIT) probe into allegations of illegal mass burials in the temple town of Dharmasthala in Dakshina Kannada district has filed a complaint accusing SIT officers of alleged assault, intimidation attempts and attempts to coerce a false testimony.
Activist Jayant T filed the complaint on Saturday at Belthangady police station, said police, adding that a copy of the complaint was sent to the state ‘s governor and the director-general of police (DGP).
Jayant, who has been publicly associated with campaigns demanding the deliverance of justice in the 2012 Sowjanya murder case, which was eventually accorded significance in the alleged narrative around the temple town, stated in his complaint that he was summoned for inquiry and later subjected to violence inside the SIT office. He named five officers in his complaint, identifying them as Jitendra Dayama, SP Simon, DySP R G Manjunath, Inspector Manjunath Gowda and Sub Inspector Gunapal. According to Jayant, the officers threatened him and exerted pressure on him to give false statements and also brought complainant Chinnayya into the room where both men were allegedly assaulted.
In the complaint, Jayant added the officers kept him in custody late into the night without food or water and subjected him to physical, mental and emotional torture. He claimed his wife and daughter were also allegedly summoned for inquiry and that statements were taken from them against their will. He said he later sought medical treatment at a private hospital in Ujire for injuries sustained during the alleged assault.
Jayant further alleged that no voluntary statement was taken from him and that SIT officials typed out their own version while continuing to summon him daily to the office. He said the threats allegedly intensified when he refused to sign false testimony. According to the complaint, officers allegedly warned that they would register cases against him and imprison him and those associated with him. He said he approached the court for relief out of fear of continued harassment and filed the police complaint after receiving temporary protection.
In a written submission, Jayant said the SIT had “violated the scope of investigation by intimidating and threatening complainants, assaulting them, extracting false statements and attempting to frame an innocent person.” He added that “issuing an arrest notice under Section 35 is itself a serious offence” and asked for protection for himself and his family, saying the letter should be treated as a dying declaration if he were harmed.
The activist has requested legal action against the named officers under several sections of the BNS, including Sections 115 (voluntarily causing hurt), 116 (grevious hurt), 126 (wrongful restraint), 127 (wrongful confinement), 131 (assault or criminal force otherwise than on grave provocation) , 232 (threatening any person to give false evidence), 351 (criminal intimidation) and 61 (criminal conspiracy). He has also sought permission under Section 218 (prior sanction before prosecution of public servant) of the BNSS to proceed against the officers.
Police said legal opinion has been requested on the complaint and that a decision will follow after that review.
Jayant’s allegations came after the state high court lifted the interim stay on the SIT investigation into the case. The stay had been in place since October 30 on the FIR filed at the Dharmasthala police station, which is being investigated as FIR number 39 of 2025.
A bench led by Justice Mohammad Nawaz observed that the inquiry could not remain suspended indefinitely and noted that the SIT had continued its actions with the permission of the magistrate. While permitting the investigation to resume, the court extended interim protection by directing the SIT not to harass the accused. The order means that activists Girish Mattannavar, Mahesh Shetty Timarodi, Jayant T and Vitthala Gowda will again be called for interrogation.