The sensational Dharmasthala "mass burial" controversy has taken a dramatic and unprecedented turn, with the primary whistleblower, sanitation worker CN Chinnayya alias Chenna, arrested for perjury after the Special Investigation Team (SIT) concluded he falsified evidence and lied under oath. This stunning development follows an intensive probe into claims of forced burials of women and minors in Dharmasthala between 1995 and 2014.

Chinnayya, 50, initially sparked widespread outrage by alleging he was forced to bury bodies at the behest of "powerful individuals". However, forensic tests on a skull he presented in court, claimed to be a young woman's, revealed it belonged to a male. Extensive excavations at 17 identified sites, using advanced technology, found no mass graves, and none of his former colleagues corroborated his story. SIT sources indicate Chinnayya confessed to acting under coercion and giving false statements.

Adding another layer of deception to the scandal, Bengaluru woman Sujatha Bhat, who had claimed her daughter "Ananya Bhat" disappeared in Dharmasthala, retracted her statement, admitting she fabricated the story. She alleged pressure from activists due to a "property issue" related to her grandfather's land given to the temple. Both revelations have profoundly shaken the investigation, with officials now stating no evidence supports the claims of a mass burial.