The Karnataka High Court has temporarily suspended the police investigation against YouTuber Sameer MD, who runs the channel Dhootha, in connection with a criminal case filed over a video he published about the Dharmasthala mass burials controversy.

The bench of Justice M Nagaprasanna issued the interim stay order while hearing Sameer's petition seeking to quash the case entirely. The State government has been directed to submit its response, with the next hearing scheduled for April 22.

The video in question alleged that a sanitary worker employed by the Dharmasthala temple administration was compelled to bury the bodies of several women who had been sexually assaulted. The video used AI-generated visuals to depict these allegations and made indirect references to D Veerendra Heggade, the head of the Shri Kshetra Dharmasthala temple.

Following the video's circulation, police registered a case against Sameer under three sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) 2023 — covering wanton provocation to incite riots, furnishing false information about an offence, and public mischief.

Sameer's counsel, Advocate Akshatha Shetty, defended the video by arguing it was based entirely on an existing FIR and complaint in the Dharmasthala case, and that its content had already been broadcast on national television channels.

The State, represented by Additional Special Public Prosecutor Asma Kouser, pushed back, contending that the Dharmasthala investigation is still ongoing and that Sameer's video misled the public and stoked ill will — particularly given that the facts of the case are yet to be established.

The prosecution also urged the court to direct Sameer to file an affidavit committing to not publish further videos on the pending case. While the court stopped short of issuing a formal order, it orally advised Sameer's counsel to caution her client against making additional videos on the matter in the interim.

The court has asked the Additional SPP to review the full video and submit the government's objections before the next hearing on April 22.