Former Karnataka Chief Minister and BJP leader Basavaraj Bommai on Saturday pressed the state government to hand over the ongoing Dharmasthala case to the National Investigation Agency (NIA), alleging that the probe so far has been compromised.
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Bommai said that unless the investigation is transferred, the public might assume that the Congress government itself is complicit. “To expose the real conspiracy, those named by Chinnayya must be arrested and interrogated. Otherwise, people will think the state government is part of it. To avoid such doubts, the case must go to the NIA,” Bommai posted on X.
The former CM strongly criticised the Special Investigation Team (SIT) for what he described as a flawed approach from the start. According to him, the SIT jumped into the case without first assessing the credibility of the complaint or evidence, effectively “digging in darkness.” He alleged the very purpose of forming the SIT was to malign the reputation of Dharmasthala and create suspicion around the revered institution.
Bommai further charged that competent officers within the SIT were not allowed to act independently. He claimed that when media reports about the excavations drew public outrage, the government “lost moral courage” and altered the probe’s direction in the face of BJP’s protests. “Only now has the real investigation begun,” he added, crediting pressure from the opposition and public anger for forcing the government to change course.
He also accused the Congress government of failing to stop what he called a “smear campaign” against Dharmasthala. Emphasising that only a central agency like the NIA could bring out the truth, Bommai reiterated that those linked to complainant Chinnayya must be held accountable.
Meanwhile, the state government countered Bommai’s allegations. Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar urged the BJP not to politicise the issue. “We are neither for Dharmasthala nor against them, we are for justice. Matters of religion should not be dragged into politics,” he told reporters. Shivakumar also pointed out that the victims’ families had welcomed the SIT’s formation and assured that action would be taken against the guilty, irrespective of their influence.
Home Minister G Parameshwara confirmed that the complainant has been arrested and remains in custody. He said the SIT was working to uncover the larger network behind the case. “The investigation is ongoing. Details cannot be revealed now, but the network involved will be brought to light,” he said.