Bengaluru, Sept. 12 -- The Karnataka high court on Thursday stayed a summons against an advocate who had circulated a press release about the special investigation team (SIT) probe into the allegations around mass burials in Dharmasthala, people familiar with the proceedings said.

The court also barred police from taking coercive action against the advocate, who represents complainant Sujatha Bhatt, until the next hearing on October 8, they added. Sujatha Bhatt's complaint about her daughter Ananya Bhatt, who allegedly went missing from Dharmasthala in 2003.

The advocate was named in an FIR registered at the Belthangady police station on August 22 for allegedly spreading false information and was served a summons on September 1.

A benc...