Overview
- The interim stay was issued by Justice Mohammad Nawaz on petitions from activists Girish Mattanavar, Mahesh Shetty Thimarodi, T. Jayanth and Vittala Gowda.
- The petition challenges the FIR and summons on technical grounds, arguing the police should have treated the initial information as non-cognisable under the BNSS and sought a magistrate’s direction.
- The court directed protection from harassment for the petitioners after they reported repeated notices sent via WhatsApp and email and over 100 hours of questioning.
- The SIT, led by IPS Pronab Mohanty, had been preparing an interim report and a complaint report on alleged perjury linked to a skull, citing FSL findings that two exhumed bodies were male.
- Special Public Prosecutor BN Jagadeesha opposed the plea, alleging the activists pressured officials, as the case now awaits the next hearing on November 12.