Amid the shocking twist in Dharmasthala mass murder allegations and arrest of the complainant, C.N. Chinnaiah, the attention of the public has turned to YouTuber Sameer M.D. who is accused of defaming the Dharmasthala Manjunatha Swamy Temple and its administration.
Chinnaiah, a former sanitation worker, had alleged that multiple murders, rapes, and burials took place in Dharmasthala over the past two decades and that he was forced to bury several corpses during the period. He is under SIT custody for 10 days.
Who is Sameer MD?
Sameer, who hails from Ballari, had posted YouTube videos targeting the Dharmasthala temple and was accused of uploading an AI-generated video on the secret burial case to spread misinformation. In July, he was charged with Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) sections 192, 240, and 353(1)(b) for wantonly giving provocation with intent to cause a riot and giving false information regarding an offence.
The Dharmasthala "mass burial" case has taken a new turn. The complainant, CN Chinnayya, has been arrested. He was previously a protected witness.#dharamsthala #massburial #crime #cnchinnayya pic.twitter.com/EQFaDamxAl
— THE WEEK (@TheWeekLive) August 23, 2025
In one video, police said the YouTuber gave unverified details that was not present in the official complaint or the sworn statement from Chinnaiah.
Neighbours described Sameer as a reclusive person with no contact with locals, according to Udayavani. He was staying with his mother at a rented home in Royal Residency Layout in Bannerghatta's Hullhalli. The Belthangady police tracked him to his home but when they reached the spot, the house was empty and his phone was switched off. His mother has also gone missing.
However, Sameer has uploaded a new video on a murder case in Chitradurga from an unidentified location. Later, police traced his mobile tower location to Mangaluru.
Veerendra Heggade welcomes Chinnaiah arrest
Veerendra Heggade, Dharmadhikari of Dharmasthala Manjunatha Swamy Temple, on Saturday welcomed the arrest of Chinnaiah, saying now he has "faith that facts will prevail and justice will be upheld".
Earlier, BJP MP Kota Srinivas Poojary wrorte to Union Home Minister Amit Shah, demanding an Enforcement Directorate probe into money laundering in connection with YouTubers spreading misinformation to defame the temple in Dakshina Kannada district. He alleged that the YouTubers spreading misinformation received funds from abroad.
