Mangaluru: The controversy surrounding the alleged disappearance of a medical student named Ananya Bhat in Dharmasthala has taken a confusing turn after complainant Sujatha Bhat made contradictory statements within hours.

In the video interview released on Friday evening, Sujatha Bhat confessed that she never had a daughter named Ananya Bhat. “It was my mistake. I apologize,” she said, adding that she had been pressured by certain individuals to create and narrate the false story. She named Girish Mattannavar and Jayanth T. as the people who compelled her to make the false claim.

She clarified that no money was offered to her. “I met them only once. They told me to say that I had a daughter and pressured me into it. I never imagined it would escalate to this level and cause such disgrace,” Sujatha Bhat explained.

She further stated that while it was true she had been in a live-in relationship, she supported herself without depending on anyone. She also expressed resentment over family property issues, alleging that when her grandfather’s land was donated to the Dharmasthala temple, her consent as a granddaughter was ignored, making her feel as if she had been erased from the family. “That hurt me deeply, which is why I went along with what they said,” she added.

“All the photos I showed were fake. I never filed a complaint against the Dharmasthala temple or anyone associated with it. I only mentioned Dharmasthala village in my statement,” Sujatha Bhat clarified in the interview.

However, soon after the video began circulating widely, Sujatha Bhat gave a completely different version to TV9.

In her televised statement, she alleged that she was forced to make the earlier confession while being confined inside a car. “They pressured me to say those words. Ananya Bhat is indeed my daughter. They made me take the names of Girish Mattannavar and Mahesh Shetty. I want justice for my daughter, and I will present the full truth before the SIT,” she said from her Bengaluru residence.

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Bengaluru (PTI): Power bills for consumers under the Bangalore Electricity Supply Company Limited (BESCOM) will go up from May 1, following an order issued by the Karnataka Electricity Regulatory Commission (KERC) on Friday.

The hike comes after KERC allowed the BESCOM to recover a revenue deficit of Rs 2,068 crore incurred in 2024-25, from the consumers.

As a result, for every unit of electricity consumed in 2024-25, the customers will be charged an additional 56 paise, it said.

"BESCOM shall calculate, for each of the active consumers of FY2024-25 the amount to be recovered based on their actual energy consumption during FY2024-25. Such amount shall be recovered during FY 2026-27 in equal monthly instalments, to be called as 'FY25 True up Charges', commencing from the first meter reading date falling on or after 1 May 2026 and concluding with the reading date ending on 30 April 2027," the order said.

"It is further ordered that BESCOM shall maintain a separate head of account, allocated for the purpose, to record the adjustment of the said amount to ensure full recovery of the deficit," it added.

Similarly Chamundeshwari Electricity Supply Corporation Limited (CESC) has also recorded a revenue deficit of Rs 121.71 crore and can collect an additional 15 paisa per unit for consumption in 2024-25, official sources said.