Prakash Raj Breaks Silence On Chinnaiah's Phone Call Linked To Dharmasthala Mass Murder Case

Multilingual actor Prakash Raj addressed the media on Wednesday to set the record straight regarding his involvement in the ongoing Dharmasthala investigation, asserting that he merely fulfilled his civic duty by passing on crucial information to the authorities.

Raj confirmed that C N Chinnaiah, the individual at the centre of explosive allegations concerning "multiple murders, rapes, and burials" Dharmasthala, had contacted him via telephone and subsequently shared an audio recording. The actor stated that he has shared the material to the head of the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the case.

The actor's clarification comes in light of a recent writ petition filed by Chinnaiah before the High Court, which alleges a conspiracy involving substantial financial flows aimed at tarnishing Dharmasthala's reputation, and which notably mentions Raj by name.

The Sequence of Events

Recounting the chain of events, Raj explained that he initially received a call from activist Girish Mattannavar, who informed him that Chinnaiah wished to speak with him. During the telephone conversation, Chinnaiah, speaking in Tamil, requested a personal meeting. The actor declined, stating plainly that he was not a police officer. When Mr Chinnaiah persisted, Raj advised him to record whatever information he possessed and forward it electronically.

"As a citizen, what was I to do? I received information from an individual about whom everyone is speculating. I immediately contacted SIT chief Pronab Mohanty," Raj told reporters.

The actor revealed that he subsequently met with Mohanty in person and handed over the recording. "The SIT chief thanked me and said, 'This is good evidence. Should you receive any further information, please let me know'," the actor, who shot to fame with Kannada serial Guddada Bhootha before becoming a pan-India actor, claimed.

When the actor later followed up with the SIT, he was informed that certain elements of Chinnaiah's claims did not corroborate with the evidence, and that Chinnaiah appeared to be shifting his account. "After that, I considered the matter closed," Raj stated.

Addressing media reports that mention a figure of ₹200 crore in Chinnaiah's petition, the actor maintained that the public has a legitimate right to know whether he had engaged with Chinnaiah and what information had been shared.

The Kannda actor also recalled that Mohanty of advising him not to take any further calls from Chinnaiah.

On a section of people calling him anti-Hindu, Raj pushed back firmly saying, "Certain sections of the media have made such claims. I have met Veerendra Heggade; he is a wonderful person. People who have no affection for Dharmasthala have twisted my statements. There is no political motive behind my questions," he stated.

On the subject of the reported ₹200 crore allegedly invested from Kerala to defame Dharmasthala, the actor said: "I do not know whether Chinna actually made such a statement, but many media houses have reported it. At the same time, some sections of the press have written judgmental pieces speculating on how much money Prakash Raj received, and have branded me as anti-Hindu."