Sujatha Bhat says no to police summons, alleges officer helped leak witness confession
Writes letter to CJI, CM against investigating officer of Dharmasthala Mass Burial case
Mangaluru: A complaint has been submitted by a senior citizen, Sujatha Bhat, mother of Ananya Bhat, a medical student who went missing over two decades ago, raising allegations of misconduct and breach of confidentiality by the Dharmasthala PSI while investigating the Mass Burial case.
In a formal complaint submitted through her advocate, Sujatha Bhat has raised concerns over what she calls the unlawful disclosure of a confidential witness statement recorded in the Dharmasthala mass burial investigation. The complaint has been addressed to the Chief Justice of India, the Chief Justice of the Karnataka High Court, the Director General & Inspector General of Police, the Chief Minister of Karnataka, and the State Home Minister.
The statement points to a serious breach of legal procedure, stating that a confession made before a police officer, involving information about the burial sites of multiple bodies, was made public in violation of confidentiality rules. This, the legal team claims, not only endangers the witness but also casts doubt on the integrity of the investigation.
The press release draws a direct connection between this act and the Dharmasthala mass burial case, in which a former sanitation worker recently appeared before a magistrate, confessed to burying bodies under coercion, and submitted skeletal remains. The case has since triggered fresh forensic investigations and state-wide attention. Sujatha Bhat's daughter Ananya went missing in the same area two decades ago, and the family has long suspected foul play. With the recent revelations, they believe Ananya’s disappearance could be linked to the alleged mass burials.
Sujatha Bhat, who is now a senior citizen with no immediate family support, says the conduct of the officer has left her with no confidence in the fairness of the probe. Her lawyer stated that the officer’s behaviour has been “biased, unprofessional, and unlawful,” and that the trust in the investigation has completely broken down.
In response to a recent notice served to her, Sujatha Bhat has decided not to appear before the officer, citing legitimate concerns regarding the impartiality and lawfulness of the investigation. Her legal team has informed the authorities that she will be filing a detailed complaint justifying her refusal to comply with the officer's summons. In the meantime, her legal counsel has advised the police officer to escalate the matter to his superiors and strictly follow legal procedures moving forward.
The press note further urges the concerned police officer to reflect on his duties as a public servant and ensure that all actions moving forward strictly adhere to the law. It also advises him to immediately bring this issue to the attention of his senior officers, should his role require it.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Junior Hockey World Cup: IndiGo crisis disrupts travel plans of players' families, fans
Chennai (PTI): For Kate, the dream was simple -- to watch her son Fahy Noah play for the Australian team in the Junior Hockey World Cup here and visit the Taj Mahal.
But her plans, like those of many others, have been upended by the operational crisis that has hit IndiGo, India's largest domestic airline.
"I am here for the first time and India is so kind and welcoming. We were hoping to see the Taj Mahal, but with the IndiGo problems, we are a bit scared now," Kate, who has come from Brisbane, told PTI outside the Mayor Radhakrishnan Hockey Stadium here.
"One family went on a rest day and got stuck overnight. I think we will have to cancel all our travel plans now, though seeing the Taj Mahal was on my bucket list for long," she said.
ALSO READ: IndiGo fight disruptions: Opposition demands statement from government
This is the first time that 24 teams are participating in the Junior Hockey World Cup, being held in Chennai and Madurai from November 28 to December 10. For most players and their families, it is their maiden trip to India. Many NRIs have also flown in to support the Indian team.
However, the widespread flight delays and cancellations have thrown schedules into chaos. IndiGo cancelled thousands of flights last week, citing regulatory changes in the pilots' flight duty and regulations norms. This resulted in lakhs of passengers getting stuck at airports across the country.
Laura, who has come from Belgium with her entire family to support her son, said they are now travelling by road.
"We are happy to be here in this beautiful country. We went to Munnar and Madurai, and now we are planning to go to Puducherry and Mahabalipuram by road," she said.
"We had taken IndiGo flights earlier, but some other families who travelled on different days got stuck and somehow managed to come back by train. So we are not flying anywhere in India now. Road travel only and then back to Brussels next week," she said.
For 87-year-old Kenyan hockey legend Avtar Singh Sohal, a four-time Olympian and a lifelong supporter of Indian hockey, the crisis was particularly distressing. He spent 12 gruelling hours at the Chandigarh airport on December 4 before finally reaching Chennai just in time for the quarterfinals.
"Our IndiGo flight was delayed by 12 hours. We were at the airport from 7 am to 7 pm. They kept giving excuses -- the aircraft has not arrived, the pilot is not available. We had no idea what was actually happening," he said.
Accompanying Sohal was 85-year-old Tarlok Singh Mandair, a former treasurer of the English Hockey Association, who had flown in from London.
"It was a horrible experience. They kept changing the timings from 12 noon to 4 pm and we finally took off at 7:20 pm. They gave us sandwiches which were not even good," Mandair recalled.
"Our return flight is also on IndiGo, but now we are exploring other options," he said.
Jujhar Singh Plaha, 86, from London, who was on the same flight, said his excitement has turned into anxiety.
"We were so excited about this trip; hockey is our first love. But this (IndiGo crisis) spoiled our mood. Now we are worried about returning because at our age, we cannot travel long distances by train or road," he said.
Jason, the father of Australian player Roger Lachlan, has had an eventful trip to India so far -- beginning with the rain in Chennai triggered by Cyclone Ditwah.
"We are from Hobart -- home of Ricky Ponting and David Boon. We arrived after a cyclone, which caused heavy rain. Now the sun is out and we are enjoying ourselves," he said with a smile.
Jason, too, has shelved all further travel plans.
"No sightseeing now. We will just eat, swim and head back. I am loving masala dosa, masala tea and curries," he said.
Some fans from Bengaluru, who had booked their flight tickets months in advance, decided not to take a risk. They opted for refunds and drove down to Chennai on Sunday to catch the semifinal.
"With flight uncertainty and trains full, we drove down. We did not want to miss India in the semis," said Vinod Chinnappa, who drove for six hours to come here.
Even officials have not been spared by the flight disruptions.
Digvijay Singh, an official of the Hockey India League franchise, waited eight hours at the Patna airport to catch a flight to Chennai.
"I did not want to miss the India-Belgium quarterfinal, so I waited. I finished all episodes of (web series) Family Man at the lounge," he said.
"I had gone to Patna from Delhi for a meeting earlier in the day and then needed to connect to Chennai," Singh said.
With the World Cup set to wrap up in two days, uncertainty about people's plans to return home looms large.
With prices of alternative flights rising and train seats nearly impossible to find, fans, officials, families and journalists are monitoring travel apps as closely as match updates.
If the situation does not improve soon, returning home could be as challenging as winning matches on the field.
