The Dharmasthala case witnessed a dramatic turn after Sujata Bhat, the mother of a medical students who went missing in 2003, expressed her wish to withdraw her complaint. SIT officers found her latest statements contradictory to her earlier claims, raising doubts over her credibility
Dharamsthala temple premises. Pic/PTI
The famous Dharmasthala case has taken a new turn on Friday. Sujata Bhat, the mother of the medical student who went missing in 2003, has now expressed her wish to withdraw her complaint. The development comes after the Special Investigation Team (SIT), which is probing the Dharmasthala case, had questioned Bhat for the third consecutive day on Friday, PTI reported.
According to sources, Bhat had previously alleged that her daughter Ananya disappeared from the Dharmasthala temple premises 22 years ago. However, during the interrogation, she expressed her desire to withdraw the complaint.
Investigators from the SIT noted that she appeared to be under significant pressure and was struggling with the sustained interrogation, PTI reported. Her flipping statements and conscious replies to the questions asked by the authorities are making the case even more complex.
While the probe is still on, the SIT officers found her statements to be contradictory to her earlier claims, suggesting she was lying and obstructing the legal process.
Bhat had earlier claimed that the disappearance of her daughter was part of a larger conspiracy. On Friday, she disclosed the names of certain individuals allegedly involved behind it, PTI reported.
However, the SIT officers did not confirm the details, stating that the disclosures are being verified. The case has drawn widespread attention, following allegations that the narrative of a missing girl may have been fabricated.
Amid the cluttered investigation, the SIT's ongoing efforts are focused on verifying Bhat's claims and finding evidence to substantiate the complaint.
Legal experts said that even if Bhat formally withdraws her complaint, the SIT is quite likely to continue with the investigation, as the matter involves serious allegations and has already entered the judicial process.
With the SIT expected to submit an interim report in the coming few days, the case will trigger political sparring and public debates on a very large scale.
Bhat had first appeared before the SIT in Belthangady on Tuesday.
According to the police officers probing the Dharmasthala case, Bhat had filed a complaint on July 15, 2025, at Dharmasthala Police Station. She claimed that her daughter, Ananya, who was a medical student, went missing from the Dharmasthala temple premises in 2003.
(With inputs from PTI)
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