Mangaluru, 5 Sep 

The Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the infamous Dharmasthala skull conspiracy has unearthed startling links stretching from masked YouTubers to local influencers, with allegations of a planned smear campaign against Dharmasthala.

The SIT found that YouTuber Abhishek, who ran the United Media channel, was at the centre of the propaganda drive. During his questioning, investigators discovered connections with other players, including Kerala-based YouTuber Manaf, who has now been served notice.

Manaf is a truck owner from Kerala who lost his driver Arjun in the July 2024 Shiruru landslide on NH-66 in Uttara Kannada.

On 11 July, Manaf uploaded the original video showing a skull being lifted from a forest patch near Bungalow Hill.

Additionally, Mysuru-based YouTuber Sumanth has alleged that Manaf and Abhishek offered him money to create anti-Dharmasthala content.

The SIT suspects that the skulls were deliberately brought from Bungalow Hill forests to frame Dharmasthala in a web of fabricated charges of rape, murder, and mass burials of women.

Meanwhile, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Friday downplayed calls for a National Investigation Agency (NIA) probe into allegations of multiple murders, rapes and burials in Dharmasthala, saying the case is already being investigated by the state police through a SIT.

The Opposition BJP and JD(S) have also demanded an NIA probe, targeting Congress government over its handling of the case.