The Karnataka High Court stayed the Ballari police’s notice to Kannada YouTuber Sameer M.D. until March 12 after finding that he was not provided a copy of the FIR along with the summons. Sameer, who runs the YouTube channel Dhoota: Sameer MD, was asked to appear for questioning over his recent video, Dharmasthala Sowjanya Case.
Justice M. Nagaprasanna granted interim relief, pointing out that furnishing a copy of the FIR is mandatory as per a state circular issued on December 30, 2024. The FIR was registered suo motu by the Cowlbazar police in Ballari on March 5 under Section 299 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious sentiments). The complaint alleged that the video contained statements about Dharmasthala and the family managing the temple, which could impact religious sentiments.
Sameer, however, argued that his video did not contain defamatory content, hate speech, or copyrighted material but focused on court rulings, public concerns, and lapses in the investigation of the 2012 Sowjanya rape and murder case. The petition also alleged that the police attempted to arrest him on the night of March 5 but, due to his legal team’s intervention, issued a notice instead.
His 39-minute video revisited the case of 17-year-old Sowjanya, a college student in Dharmasthala, Dakshina Kannada. The primary accused, Santhosh Rao, was arrested in October 2012 but later acquitted in July 2023 due to alleged investigative failures. Sowjanya’s family has long claimed that the real perpetrators were shielded by D. Veerendra Heggade, the head of Shri Kshetra Dharmasthala.
Following the FIR, Sameer released another video asserting that he was not afraid and had documented evidence to support his claims. He remarked, “Since I am a Muslim, my speaking about this case is being portrayed as wrong. But this is about justice, not religion. If I were against Hindus, why would I raise my voice for a Hindu girl?” He also referenced a previous video where he had spoken about Siddeshwara Swamy Hills in Tumakuru and other Hindu sites, emphasizing that caste and religion should not be factors in seeking justice.