Dharmasthala Case: SIT Officer Accused of Threatening Whistleblower to Withdraw Complaint

A shocking development has surfaced in the ongoing Dharmasthala skeleton discovery case, with reports alleging that Special Investigation Team (SIT) Inspector threatened an anonymous whistleblower into withdrawing their complaint. As per reports, a lawyer representing the complainant has formally submitted a grievance to SIT chief Pranav Mohanty, demanding immediate action.

The complaint, filed by advocate Ananya Gowda, claims the incident occurred on the night of Friday, August 1, at the SIT office in Belthangady. She alleged that the officer recorded the complainant's statement on his mobile phone during the incident.

Amid these developments, speculation is mounting that the inspector has been placed on compulsory leave. His absence during the SIT's inspection on August 2 has fueled rumours of possible internal disciplinary action. Reports suggest that the officer, who previously served as the Inspector at the Sirsi Rural Police Station, has not participated in any official SIT activities in recent days.

Although SIT have reportedly denied the occurrence of any such incident, they have confirmed that an internal investigation is underway. An anonymous SIT official told the media, "No such event has occurred, but we will investigate the matter."

Legal representatives, including advocate Ananya Gowda, have submitted formal reports to senior SIT officials, alleging that Inspector used fear of punishment to force the complainant to change their testimony.

There has been no official confirmation yet about SIT officer being placed on compulsory leave, but reports suggest the move is likely in light of the allegations.

The allegations have cast a shadow over the SIT's credibility, and reports suggest that SIT chief Pranav Mohanty may soon take strict action against the accused officer if the claims are proven true.