The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has started investigating recent allegations surrounding the Dharmasthala temple in Karnataka’s Mangaluru district. The probe focuses on claims of external funding and suspicious transactions related to activists accused of making false allegations against the famous temple.
Sources say the ED has issued notices to several banks across Karnataka, asking for detailed records of transactions over the past five years. The agency is also seeking information about foreign deposits, supporting documents, and details of deposits made into the accounts of NGOs involved in these cases. Notably, the accounts of organizations like ‘Odanadi’ and ‘Samvada’ are part of the investigation.
The controversy has caught political attention. BJP MP Kota Srinivas Poojary wrote a letter to Union Home Minister Amit Shah on August 19, demanding a thorough ED investigation into foreign funding for some individuals and YouTubers linked to the case. He claimed these elements are trying to damage the reputation of the Dharmasthala temple and are part of a conspiracy against Hindu religious institutions.
Poojary accused certain political groups of attempting to tarnish the temple’s image and questioned the motives behind recent investigations. He alleged that some foreign-funded YouTubers and activists are trying to defame the temple, stirring public outrage. He urged the government to examine whether foreign funding is involved in these actions.
In response, Karnataka’s Home Minister G. Parameshwara clarified that the state government does not plan to hand over the Dharmasthala case to the National Investigation Agency (NIA). However, he added that if the ED itself chooses to investigate the funding allegations, the state government cannot stop it.
Parameshwara emphasized that the ED is free to look into the financial aspects of the case from its own angle. He said, “Let the ED investigate funding if they want; we cannot object.” This statement reaffirms the central role of national agencies in probing links to foreign funding and possible conspiracies.
The ongoing investigation highlights how sensitive the issue is, blending religious sentiments, political implications, and questions about foreign influence. As the ED digs deeper, the focus remains on uncovering the truth behind these allegations and the money trail involved in efforts to question the integrity of the Dharmasthala temple.
