Bengaluru Rural Additional Superintendent of Police Venkatesh Prasanna has asked to be removed from the Special Investigation Team (SIT) formed to conduct a fresh probe into the 2012 Sowjanya case.
According to a report on Wednesday, September 30, Prasanna wrote a request to the Karnataka government to get him released from the newly formed investigation team. The report says he cited personal reasons for his request.
The development comes less than a week after the Karnataka government formed a five-member SIT to reinvestigate the rape and murder case of 17-year-old Sowjanya in Dakshina Kannada’s Belthangady taluk. Prasanna was named as one of the members of the team headed by Inspector General of Police N. Shashikumar.
Venkatesh Prasanna Seeks Release
Prasanna has written to the state government asking to be removed from the SIT. The reason for his request is personal reasons for his request to be removed from the team, the report says.
The state government will now have to consider the request and decide whether to accept it or retain Prasanna as a member of the investigation team.
At present, the request itself does not constitute a formal removal from the SIT. Any change in the composition of the team would depend on the government's decision and any subsequent official order.
A five-member SIT was formed by the Supreme Court's direction
The Karnataka government established the new SIT on September 24 after the Supreme Court's September 21 direction for a fresh investigation into the Sowjanya case.
The team is headed by IGP N. Shashikumar. Its other members are Mangaluru City Police Commissioner C.H. Sudheer Kumar Reddy, State Intelligence SP Nisha James, CID SP Lokesh Jagalasar and Bengaluru Rural Additional SP Venkatesh Prasanna.
The Supreme Court directed that the case be investigated afresh and that officers who had been involved in earlier investigations should not be included in the new team. The new investigation was also given a three-month timeline for completion and submission of the report to the competent court.
The newly formed SIT has jurisdiction over Karnataka and has been authorised to conduct the investigation and submit its report in accordance with law.
Government Decision Awaited
With Prasanna reportedly seeking to step out of the team, the Karnataka government’s response is now the focus.
The government may consider the written request and give further directions on the SIT composition. As long as such an order is issued, Prasanna is still in the team (under the government order that formed the SIT).
The development comes at a crucial stage in the case, and the new team will have to conduct a fresh investigation in the time frame set by the Supreme Court.
The Sowjanya case dates back to October 2012, when the 17-year-old student went missing while returning home from college in Ujire. Her body was found the next day. The case was later investigated by the local police, Karnataka CID and the Central Bureau of Investigation.
The latest move by Prasanna is therefore being closely watched as the state government begins a fresh investigation. The immediate question is whether the government will agree to his demand to be removed from the SIT or ask him to continue as part of the team.
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