Is the Dharmasthala Temple Facing Defamation? Court Issues Restraining Order!

Bengaluru, July 21 (NationPress) A civil court in Bengaluru has issued an interim restraining order aimed at preventing individuals and media outlets from disseminating defamatory content regarding the Dharmasthala temple, its religious leader D. Veerendra Heggade, and his family.

The ruling was delivered by the 11th Additional City Civil and Sessions Court during the proceedings of a petition presented by D. Harshendra Kumar.

The petition sought an injunction against Mahesh Shetty Timarodi, Girish Mattannavar, and YouTuber M.D. Sameer, as well as several media platforms. The accused were charged with spreading false and derogatory remarks against the temple and its head.

The court highlighted that this case is particularly significant, as certain media outlets and individuals have begun propagating false and derogatory claims against the petitioner and his family, as well as against the Sri Manjunathaswamy temple and its affiliated organizations, all without any factual basis.

"The petition indicates that in connection with a criminal incident involving rape and murder that occurred on October 9, 2012, allegations were made against the petitioner, his family, and the institutions where he serves as Secretary. This case was reported at the Belthangady police station against one Santhosh Rao, and was later transferred to the CBI. Following their investigation, a charge sheet was filed against Santhosh Rao, which ended in his acquittal, a fact confirmed by the High Court of Karnataka. The petitioner asserts that all allegations against him, his family, and the institutions were proven false by the CBI's investigation," the court remarked.

Currently, another FIR has been lodged, and new, unfounded, reckless, and defamatory claims have been made against the petitioner, his family, and the organizations under their management, as well as the temple, the court noted.

"The FIR presented before the court reveals that the initial informant was a sanitation worker under the village panchayat, who merely stated he had buried various corpses within the limits of Dharmasthala. The FIR does not contain any accusations against the petitioner, his family, or any institutions managed by the temple. It is argued that despite the absence of allegations, defamatory and baseless claims are being made, which are severely damaging the reputation of the petitioner, his family, and the temple," the court observed.

In its ruling, the court directed that the defendants are to, by means of an ad-interim mandatory injunction, remove or de-index all defamatory content and information against the petitioner, his family, the institutions they run, and the Sri Manjunathaswamy temple in Dharmasthala, whether in digital or print media, until further orders.