September 3, 2025

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has kicked off a preliminary probe into claims that dubious foreign funds are stirring trouble during the ongoing Dharmasthala row in Karnataka. Sources revealed to PTI on Tuesday that the ED is collecting facts and documents from various groups and stakeholders, including some NGOs, who allegedly used these suspect funds to create communal tension. The investigation is taking place under the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA). Officials warned that if the probe finds evidence of foreign funding violations or illegal use of money, stronger actions will follow. This turmoil kicked off after Chinnaiah, a former sanitation worker, made the shocking claim that he was forced to bury many bodies—women and minors included, some showing signs of sexual assault—in the Dharmasthala temple town from 1995 to 2014. His accusations pointed fingers at the local temple’s administrators. However, Chinnaiah was arrested for perjury later. To get to the bottom of these wild allegations, Karnataka's state government formed a special investigation team (SIT). The team dug up several sites along the Netravathi River’s forested banks, and they found some skeletal remains at two places. Meanwhile, the Karnataka BJP ramped up the drama by organizing a big "Dharmasthala Chalo" rally on Monday. The party condemned what they called a conspiracy aimed at sullying the temple town’s reputation. They also demanded a National Investigation Agency (NIA) probe and slammed the Congress government for its handling of the issue. Adding more spice, Karnataka Minister Priyank Kharge accused two activists, Girish Mattannavar and Mahesh Shetty Thimarody, of links with the RSS and BJP. Both face separate police cases for allegedly making and sharing videos on social media that disturbed communal peace and hurt public feelings. With the Enforcement Directorate's investigation just beginning and multiple actors involved, the Dharmasthala controversy is turning into a hot pot of politics, religion, and crime. Everyone’s watching closely to see how this spicy saga unfolds next.

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Tags: Enforcement directorate, Foreign funding, Dharmasthala row, Karnataka bjp, Communal harmony, Fema investigation,