Dharmasthala Burials Case: High Court vacates stay on FIR, allows SIT to resume investigation
Bengaluru: The Karnataka High Court has vacated the interim stay on all proceedings related to the FIR registered at the Dharmasthala Police Station over the alleged burial of hundreds of unidentified corpses at various locations in Dharmasthala.
The order, passed on Wednesday, clears the way for the Special Investigation Team (SIT) to continue its probe into the case. The court has also directed Girish Mattannavar, Mahesh Shetty Thimarody, T. Jayant, and Vithal Gowda, who face allegations of obstructing the investigation, to appear before the SIT for questioning.
The accused had earlier approached the High Court with a writ petition seeking to quash the interrogation proceedings initiated by the Belthangady District and Sessions Court, as well as the police notice issued for their appearance. The petition was filed in connection with FIR No. 39/2025, registered at the Dharmasthala Police Station concerning the mass burials case.
After hearing arguments presented by the public prosecutor, the High Court lifted the interim stay order that had been issued on October 30. The bench clarified that the matter will now be heard on merit, and scheduled the next hearing for November 28.
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Bill to regulate deepfakes tabled in Lok Sabha
New Delhi (PTI): A Private Member's Bill seeking a clear legal framework for regulation of deepfakes has been introduced in the Lok Sabha.
The Regulation of Deepfake Bill, introduced by Shiv Sena leader Shrikant Shinde in the House on Friday, aims to protect citizens by mandating prior consent from individuals depicted in deepfake content.
"Misuse of deepfakes for harassment, deception and misinformation has escalated, creating an urgent need for regulatory safeguards," Shinde said.
The Bill also lists penalties for offenders creating or disseminating deepfake content with malicious intent.
"With advancements in artificial intelligence and deep learning, deepfake technology has emerged as a significant tool for media manipulation. While the technology has potential applications in education, entertainment and creative fields, it also poses severe risks when misused, threatening individual privacy, national security and public trust," Shinde said in the statement of objects and reasons in the Bill.
The proposed Bill seeks to establish a clear legal framework to govern the creation, distribution and application of deepfakes in India, said Shinde, a three-term Lok Sabha member from Kalyan.
The Bill also seeks to establish the Deepfake Task Force, a dedicated body to combat national security implications and evaluate the influence of deepfakes on privacy, civic participation, and potential election interference.
The task force will collaborate with academic and private sector institutions to develop technologies that detect manipulated content, thereby promoting credibility in digital media.
The Bill also proposes to establish a fund to support public and private sector initiatives in the detection and deterrence of advanced image manipulation.
A Private Member's Bill is a procedure of Parliament that enables lawmakers, who are not ministers, to draw attention to issues that might not be represented in Government Bills or to highlight the issues and gaps in the existing legal framework that require legislative intervention.
