C.N. Chinnaiah, the complainant in the Dharmasthala case.
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Nearly a month after getting bail, C.N. Chinnaiah, the complainant in the Dharmasthala case, who was arrested for perjury, is likely to be released from the Shivamogga Central Prison on Thursday.
On Wednesday, Chinnaiah’s wife Mallika came to the court of Senior Civil Judge and JMFC, Belthangady, to comply with the stipulation of execution of personal bail bond of ₹1 lakh and also produce two sureties. The court then issued the order for Chinnaiah’s release. The order was delivered to the prison on Wednesday evening.
The Principal District and Sessions Court, Dakshina Kannada, on November 24, allowed the bail application of Chinnaiah. Among the conditions imposed by the Judge included barring him from speaking to the press, television channels, social media platforms, or any form of media, regarding the case.
After finding that Chinnaiah had filed a false complaint about mass burial of bodies and had given false voluntary declaration before the judicial magistrate, the Special Investigation Team arrested him on August 23 for perjury and other offences punishable under Sections 227, 228, 229, 230, 231,233, 236, 240, 248 and 336 of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. Since then he has been lodged in Shivamogga Central Prison.
On November 20, the SIT filed a chargesheet (a compliance report under Section 215 of BNSS) against Chinnaiah and four activists Mahesh Shetty Thimarody, Girish Mattennavar, T. Jayanth and Vittala Gowda, after finding the activists had pressurised Chinnaiah to give false complaint. Sujatha Bhat has also been named as accused for giving false complaint that her MBBS studying daughter has gone missing from Dharmasthala.
Senior Civil Judge and JMFC, Belthangady, T.H. Vijayendra has posted to December 26 for announcing his decision on taking cognisance of the SIT’s report.
Published – December 17, 2025 09:24 pm IST
