Sujatha Bhat’s lawyer urges for immediate arrest of Dharmasthala gram panchayat VP Shrinivas Rao
Dharmasthala: Advocate Manjunath N., lawyer representing Sujatha Bhat, the mother of MBBS student Ananya Bhat has called for the immediate arrest of Shrinivas Rao, Vice President of the Dharmasthala Gram Panchayat.
This comes hours after the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the alleged mass burials in Dharmasthala discovered suspected human remains on the third consecutive day of excavation. However, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) has not officially confirmed these findings yet.
In a press note issued on Thursday, the Manjunath N. stated that the claims made by Shrinivas Rao, that all burials were official and properly documented since 1980’s, have been disproved by today's findings.
The burial sites, discovered with the help of a whistleblower, were located in remote, hazardous terrain near the riverbank. According to the release, these are not locations any panchayat would use for official burials, especially if there was a chance that remains would need to be exhumed later for grieving relatives.
Manjunath further questioned how the panchayat could claim to escort families to such treacherous sites or maintain records of such burials, as Rao had previously stated. The whistleblower reportedly led the SIT to multiple hidden spots rather than to a single, designated burial ground.
“We demand the immediate arrest of Shrinivas Rao, Vice President of Dharmasthala Gram Panchayat, the moment human remains are recovered from these sites. Rao’s statements appear to be a calculated attempt to obstruct justice and normalize irregular burials that may have covered up criminal acts,” Manjunath added.
The lawyer also raised concerns about Rao’s role in what he described as a potential cover-up operation, questioning whether Rao was acting alone or on instructions from others. The release called for his interrogation, suggesting that he may have crucial information about the people involved in the alleged crimes.
Manjunath N. has also called upon the Karnataka Government to initiate a broader inquiry into all panchayat officials who may be linked to the issue, urging the public and media to demand transparency and accountability.
Thursday’s search began at 11:30 am and focused on the sixth burial site near the Netravati riverbank. Officials present included Puttur Sub-Divisional Officer Stella Varghese, Belthangady Tahsildar Prithvi Sanikem, a medical team from KMC Mangalore, forensic science experts, and other support staff.
So far, while five sites were dug on previous days with no significant findings, Thursday marked the first instance where suspected remains have surfaced.
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Dermatologist booked over 'toxic' claims against Nandini products, KMF denies allegations
Bengaluru (PTI): A complaint has been lodged against a city-based dermatologist for allegedly spreading misinformation about Nandini milk products on social media and misleading the public, police said on Thursday.
The complaint was lodged by Padmavathi R, an officer of the Karnataka Milk Federation (KMF), which owns the popular Nandini brand, seeking legal action against Dr Sharanya Padma.
In her complaint, Padmavathi stated that Padma had uploaded reels on February 8 claiming that "Nandini products such as cream bun, strawberry-flavoured milk and other beverages are toxic and contain chemicals, and consuming them daily could lead to autoimmune diseases and serious health issues. Long-term consumption will definitely result in cancer in the future."
According to the complaint, the doctor also alleged that strawberry-flavoured milk "does not contain natural strawberries but is prepared by adding artificial colours and preservatives," and questioned how the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) had granted permission for the manufacture of such products.
She further claimed in the reel that consuming these products would damage health and that KMF, being a government company, was producing and marketing them for profit.
The complaint quoted her as stating that "these products are not real food but poisonous in nature and KMF should not release such products into the market."
Padmavathi stated that baseless allegations about certain Nandini brand products were being made on social media and that such "false propaganda" had created unnecessary confusion among crores of consumers who had grown up with the brand since childhood.
In a press release issued on February 18, KMF clarified that it strictly adheres to all food safety standards and approved procedures prescribed by statutory authorities and FSSAI. It assured that all Nandini milk and milk products are completely safe for consumption and that consumers need not panic.
The Federation also "strongly condemned such baseless, misleading and brand-defaming statements" and said it was committed to taking legal action against those involved in such malicious acts.
Based on the complaint, police are examining the matter and further action is likely in accordance with law.
There was no immediate reaction from Dr Padma.
