అమీర్‌పేట్ అగ్ని ప్రమాదంపై ప్రత్యక్ష సాక్షులు ఏమ్మన్నారంటే..?

Actor Prakash Raj clarified his position during a press conference held at the Bengaluru Press Club on Wednesday, strongly denying any connection with a man named Chinnayya, a former sanitation worker who has been linked to the ongoing Dharmasthala controversy.

Chinnayya had recently alleged that Rs 200 crore was routed from Kerala to defame the Dharmasthala temple and further claimed that Prakash Raj was aware of the matter. Responding to these allegations, Prakash Raj firmly rejected all claims, stating that he has never visited Dharmasthala in his life nor met anyone associated with the temple administration.

He also explained the sequence of events involving Chinnayya’s attempted contact. According to him, a former police officer and activist Girish Mattannanavar had called him, saying that a man from Mandya wished to speak with him. The call was then passed on, during which the individual reportedly spoke in Tamil and requested a meeting. Prakash Raj said he chose not to meet the person and instead sent a voice note in response due to suspicion about the interaction.

Following this, he informed IPS officer Pranab Mohanty, who is heading the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the case. Prakash Raj also mentioned that he was among the first to request then Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to initiate an investigation, which eventually led to the formation of the SIT.

During the press interaction, tensions briefly rose when reporters reacted strongly to a remark made by the actor regarding media credibility. Prakash Raj later clarified that his statement was not directed at all journalists but only at a few.

He reiterated that his only demand is a fair and thorough investigation, along with strict punishment for those responsible in the Sowmya murder and assault case.