Dharmasthala probe: Mask-man Chinnaiah visited Bengaluru with skull for planning

BENGALURU: In another interesting twist to the ongoing probe into the alleged mass burial case at Dharmasthala, special investigation team (SIT) personnel arrived in Bengaluru with ‘mask-man' Chinnaiah to inspect three places he had visited earlier this year to plan his action.One such place is the rented house of T Jayanth, a close associate of self-claimed activist from Dakshina Kannada, Mahesh Shetty Thimmarodi, where Chinnaiah is said to have bought the skull. The house is located at Mallasandra, north-west Bengaluru. Thimmarodi is being questioned by SIT.

With Chinnaiah stating that he stayed there in April, the investigators conducted a spot inspection. Jayanth's wife, son, and daughter currently reside there."It is the house where Chinnaiah first brought the skull which he later placed before SIT. From this house, Chinnaiah, with Jayanth, travelled to Delhi with the intention of presenting the case before the Supreme Court," a source said.Meanwhile, Jayanth, addressing the media outside the SIT office in Belthangady, confirmed that Chinnaiah indeed visited him with the skull."Chinnaiah arrived at the Satellite Bus Stand (Mysore Road) from where I picked him up and brought him to the house.

He told me that he had the skull in a packed bag and it needed to be presented for investigation in the mass burial case. Taking the bag, we went out, unpacked the bag at a desolate place, and clicked pictures of the skull. Then, we travelled to Delhi to meet some officials who could help in taking the matter to the apex court.

With good intentions, I helped Chinnaiah, and I am no part of any conspiracy. If SIT finds me guilty, I am ready to face the law," Jayanth told the media.According to Jayanth, it was Chinnaiah's third visit to his Mallasandra house."My children and wife live in that house. I never realised that the matter would reach this level," Jayanth told the media.According to sources, SIT will visit two more houses connected to the case — at Sahakarnagar (Hebbal) and Kamakshipalya (Magadi Road)."SIT spent time till night at Jayanth's Mallasandra residence till Saturday night… The visit to the other two houses may happen Sunday," the source said.