The police said that M.D. Sameer’s video contained imaginary facts about the Dharmasthala case, which were neither in the complaint filed by the 45-year-old sanitation worker nor in complainant’s voluntary statement recorded by Magistrate under section 183 of BNSS.
| Photo Credit: Sameer MD/Instagram
Two days after obtaining anticipatory bail, YouTuber M.D. Sameer, who has been accused of posting a communally sensitive video on his channel regarding the alleged Dharmasthala mass burial case, appeared before the Belthangady police on Sunday (August 24, 2025).
Mr. Sameer arrived in a vehicle to the police station with a team of four persons, including two advocates, around noon.
The Belthangady police had issued two notices asking Mr. Sameer, a resident of Bandihatti in Ballari town, to appear before the investigation officer in connection with a suo-motu case registered against him by the police on July 12. The notices had been pasted in front of Mr. Sameer’s houses in Ballari and in Bengaluru. Mr. Sameer had reportedly written a letter to the police expressing concern over the recent attack on three YouTubers and had sought time to appear before the investigation officer.
23-minute video
The Dharmasthala police had registered the suo motu case against Mr. Sameer in connection with a 23-minute video, on the alleged mass burial matter, posted on his YouTube channel Dhoota. The police said the video contained imaginary facts, which were neither in the complaint filed by the 45-year-old sanitation worker nor in complainant’s voluntary statement recorded by Magistrate under section 183 of BNSS.
The details mentioned in the video also reveal the identity of the complainant, who had been given protection under the Witness Protection Scheme. Mr. Sameer had widely shared this video and has tried to instigate breach of peace, the complaint stated.
Anticipatory bail granted
Meanwhile, apprehending his arrest, Mr. Sameer had applied before the Dakshina Kananada Principal District and Sessions Judge Basavaraj seeking anticipatory bail. On August 21, the Judge granted anticipatory bail while observing, among others, that there was no material produced by the prosecution to show Mr. Sameer as a habitual offender and offence alleged against him was not of grave nature.
Granting anticipatory bail, the Judge directed Mr. Sameer not to abscond and tamper with prosecution witness by threats and inducements. He was also asked to appear before the investigation officer and cooperate in the investigation of the case.
Mr. Sameer, activists Mahesh Shetty Thimarody and Girish Mattannavar and others were accused in a separate case registered by Belthangady Police in connection with the alleged assault on Asianet Suvarna News reporter R. Harish in front on a private hospital in Ujire on August 6, where three YouTubers and a cameraman who were allegedly injured in an assault were admitted.
Published – August 24, 2025 05:38 pm IST
