Supreme Court orders reinvestigation of 2012 Sowjanya rape-murder case

The Supreme Court of India has ordered a fresh reinvestigation into the 2012 rape and murder of 17-year-old Sowjanya in Dharmasthala, Karnataka. The court has directed the constitution of a new Special Investigation Team (SIT) to conduct the probe, mandating that the investigation be completed within three months.

To ensure transparency, the court ruled that officials from the local police, CID, and CBI who participated in previous investigations must be excluded from the new SIT. This directive follows concerns raised by Sowjanya’s mother, Kusumavathi Gowda, regarding the handling of evidence and potential failures in prior investigations. The Supreme Court previously expressed displeasure with the CBI's approach, noting that investigators relied on earlier reports rather than independently collecting evidence.

The case, which has remained unresolved for nearly 14 years, has seen renewed public interest following allegations from a whistleblower regarding disturbing activities in the region. While the Karnataka government has formed an SIT to look into these specific allegations, the Supreme Court's order specifically targets the original criminal case to ensure a thorough examination of the circumstances surrounding Sowjanya's death.