SC Takes Up Plea on Dharmasthala Gag Order Reversal

New Delhi/Bengaluru: The Supreme Court is set to hear on Friday a petition challenging the Karnataka High Court’s recent decision to lift a controversial media gag surrounding the Dharmasthala mass burial case, even as fresh tensions erupted near the temple town, with violent clashes reported between locals and YouTubers covering the case.

The High Court, on August 1, quashed a sweeping gag order issued by a Bengaluru civil court that had restrained reportage on the burial case and directed nearly 390 media outlets to take down close to 9,000 links and stories. The original order was issued in a defamation suit by Harshendra Kumar D, Secretary of the Dharmasthala Temple body, who alleged a smear campaign was being run against the temple, particularly on YouTube. Kumar approached the Supreme Court alleging that around 8,000 YouTube channels were spreading defamatory content targeting the family managing the temple.

Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud -led bench had previously refused to hear a related petition from a YouTube channel challenging the gag order, advising the petitioner to first approach the High Court, which has now overturned the ban. With this reversal, the battle over free press versus reputational harm is back in the apex court, underscoring the uneasy balance between public interest journalism and judicially sanctioned silence.

Meanwhile, events on the ground in Dharmasthala turned violent on August 6, as a group of four men affiliated with three YouTube channels were reportedly attacked by a mob while interviewing a local resident. The incident occurred near the home of a college student who was raped and found dead in 2012, a case that has gained renewed attention following explosive allegations made by a former sanitation worker, who claimed he was forced to bury bodies, many of women and minors, over a span of nearly two decades.

Following the attack, two opposing groups engaged in stone pelting, prompting police to intervene with a mild lathi charge. One group later staged a protest outside the local police station, accusing media platforms of "tarnishing the image of the holy place.'

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has stated that action will be taken against all those responsible for the violence, while Home Minister G Parameshwara has asked for a detailed report on the incident. Parameshwara also reiterated that the government -constituted Special Investigation Team (SIT) will continue its probe into the mass burial allegations, without political interference.

According to the Home Minister, exhumations have already been conducted at 13 locations identified by the complainant- witness, with skeletal remains found at a few sites, including those of a male body. All remains have been sent to the Forensic Science Laboratory for analysis. The complainant had earlier provided a sworn statement under Section 164 of the CrPC, detailing forced burials, possible sexual assaults, and systemic cover-ups, dating back to 1995.

While the state government has publicly committed to a full and impartial investigation, the manner in which legal tools like gag orders are being deployed raises questions about institutional bias and the prioritisation of reputation management over transparency. The gag order, notably, was issued without specific allegations in any FIR against the temple authorities, suggesting a pre-emptive legal strike to contain narrative damage rather than uphold justice.

In a case that straddles allegations of serious crimes, religious sensitivities, and freedom of the press, the Supreme Court’s upcoming decision, and the SIT’s eventual findings, could have wide-reaching implications not only for Dharmasthala but for how powerful institutions are held accountable in India.