The Special Investigation Team (SIT) investigating the 2012 Sowjanya rape and murder case has issued notices to 15 police officers and personnel who were involved in the earlier investigations. It is a big step in the new investigation into the case which has been pending for nearly 14 years.
According to Daijiworld on 27 October 2026, officers served notices include the local police, the Karnataka Criminal Investigation Department (CID) and Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). The questioning is reported to take place on October 30, but the publication did not specify that date.
SIT Examines Earlier Investigations
The notices were received under Section 160 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) which provides for the attendance of individuals who are required to assist in an investigation.
Those who were served notices are former Beltangady police station inspector Bhaskar Rai, police sub-inspector Yogish and former CID investigating officer Deputy Superintendent of Police Rudramuni, among others.
Other personnel mentioned in the report include former assistant sub-inspector Kalaimar, head constable Savitha Shetty and several other police staff members.
The SIT is reviewing the steps taken during the original investigation and subsequent inquiries by different agencies. Questioning former investigators might help to understand how evidence was collected, which leads were pursued and whether important aspects of the case were left unexplored.
The notices do not, by themselves, establish wrongdoing by any of the officers.
Supreme Court Orders Fresh Investigation
The fresh investigation follows a Supreme Court order on September 21, 2026, which directed a new probe into the 2012 rape and murder of 17-year-old Sowjanya.
The Karnataka government then formed a five-member SIT headed by Inspector General of Police N. Shashikumar. The team comprises senior officers with experience in intelligence, criminal investigation and policing.
The Supreme Court directed the new team to conduct its investigation within three months and submit the report to the appropriate court. It also said that officers involved in the earlier investigations should not be part of the new SIT.
The fresh probe began in late September and involves reviewing previous case records and evidence.
Case Remained Unresolved After Multiple Investigations
Despite many investigations, the case remained unsolved; no one was convicted in connection with the crime.
Sowjanya, a student at SDM College in Ujire, went missing on October 9, 2012 while returning home. Her body was found the next day in a forested area near Dharmasthala.
The case was initially investigated by local police before being moved to the CID and later to the CBI. The agencies investigated Santhosh Rao, who was the sole accused prosecuted in the case.
But a special court acquitted Rao in June 2023, ruling that the prosecution had failed to establish his guilt. No one was convicted in connection with the crime.
Sowjanya’s family continued to push for a fresh investigation and finally approached the Supreme Court after the Karnataka High Court rejected an earlier request for reinvestigation.
What Happens Next?
The questioning of former investigators may also be a crucial part of the SIT’s assessment of the case. They are expected to look at the way investigators earlier handled evidence and witness statements and other data that are relevant to the investigation.
The new investigation will respond to the concerns of the earlier studies that have been made and should also identify any possible leads that may still be pursued.
The case is still sensitive and the issuance of notices should not be interpreted as proof that any former officer committed misconduct. The findings of the SIT as well as the following legal process will determine the next steps.
The development has triggered a fresh focus on the long-standing case, which is in the works under the three-month Supreme Court’s deadline to get it resolved.
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