The Special Investigation Team (SIT) on Friday arrested the complainant, a 50-year-old sanitation worker in the Dharmasthala mass burial case, following a prolonged inquiry. The whistleblower was detained after the protection granted to him under the Witness Protection Scheme was withdrawn.
Media reports suggest that the sanitation worker was arrested for perjury. While giving a voluntary statement on oath before the magistrate in Belthangady on July 11, the complainant had produced a skull and a few bones, claiming that they were those of a woman who had been sexually assaulted.
But forensic reports of the skull and bones have revealed that the remains were of a male, contrary to the claims of the man. Therefore, SIT has booked the man for perjury.
The complainant was arrested by SIT on Saturday morning and will be produced before the court in Belanthagady. His whistleblower protection, given by Dakshin Kannada, the Principal District and Session Judge, was withdrawn on Friday.
The sanitation worker was questioned by the SIT team since Friday morning. In the meantime, the SIT team enquired with other sanitation workers who worked with him from 1995-2014, and the healthcare personnel who had performed an autopsy on the 70 decomposed bodies during that period.
The sanitation worker registered his complaint from Kollegal, where he alleged that he had buried over 100 bodies, including those of sexual assault and murder victims, under "pressure of powerful people" during that period. His voluntary statement was registered in the magistrate court later on, under the Bhartiya Nagrik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS).
The SIT team formed by the State Government has been enquiring into the allegations since July 19. It excavated 17 sites in Banglagudde, near Bahubali Gudda, and other places. Skeletal remains of males were found at site no. 6 and site no.14.