Dharmasthala mass burial case: SC to hear plea against Karnataka HC order lifting media gag

The Supreme Court would hear on Friday a plea challenging a recent order of the Karnataka High Court quashing a media gag on reportage surrounding the controversial Dharmasthala mass burial case.

The Karnataka High Court on August 1 set aside an earlier gag order issued by a Bengaluru civil court restraining reportage on the burial case.

“Around 8,000 YouTube channels are running defamatory material against the Dharmasthala temple,” an advocate submitted before a bench headed by Chief Justice B R Gavai and sought urgent listing of an appeal against the high court order.

Harshendra Kumar D, Secretary of the Dharmasthala Temple body, moved the apex court seeking removal of what he alleges is defamatory content targeting the family that manages the temple.

“I think it’s already listed for tomorrow,” the CJI said.

On July 23, the CJI-led bench declined to hear another petition filed by YouTube channel Third Eye challenging a sweeping gag order that restrained media houses from reporting on matters related to the brother of Dharamadhikari D Veerendra Heggade of Dharamsthala in Karnataka.

The gag order was over reports on the alleged murders of women in Dharmasthala in the state's Dakshina Kannada district.

The plea, filed against an ex parte interim order of a local court, questioned the legality of the directive which directed as many as 390 media houses to remove nearly 9,000 links and stories related to the Dharamsthala burial case.

The CJI had questioned the petitioner for not moving the high court.

“You go the high court first,” the CJI said.

The gag order was passed in Kumar's defamation suit alleging spread of false and defamatory online content, despite the absence of specific allegations against him or the temple authorities in any FIR.

Recently, Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara said a thorough investigation must precede any conclusions regarding the alleged murders of women in Dharmasthala.

The state government has constituted a special investigation team to probe the allegations.