The Karnataka government has formed a new five-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) to conduct a fresh investigation into the 2012 rape and murder of 17-year-old Sowjanya in Dakshina Kannada.
The government issued the order on September 24, 2026, following the Supreme Court’s direction on September 21 for a new investigation of the case. The new probe is almost 14 years after Sowjanya was reported missing while returning home from college.
The development is a new stage in the long-running case that was previously investigated by the local police, Karnataka CID and Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
Five-Member Team to Lead Fresh Probe
The new SIT will be headed by N Shashi Kumar, Inspector General of Police.
The other members included in the team are C H Sudheer Kumar Reddy, DIG and Mangaluru City Police Commissioner; Nisha James, SP, Intelligence Bengaluru; Lokesh Jagalasar, SP, CID Bengaluru; and Venkatesh Prasanna, Additional SP, Bengaluru Rural.
The team is formed specifically to carry out the fresh investigation in line with the Supreme Court’s directions.
The Supreme Court had directed that officers associated with Belthangady Police's earlier investigations, Karnataka CID or the CBI should not be part of the new SIT.
Supreme Court Ordered De Novo Investigation
The Supreme Court ordered such a fresh investigation on September 21, 2026, based on a plea seeking reinvestigation into the case.
The court directed the Karnataka government to establish an SIT of experienced investigators with knowledge of modern investigative technology. It also directed that the investigation be completed within three months and that a police report be filed before the appropriate court.
The Supreme Court's order followed years of legal proceedings after the earlier investigation and trial failed to establish the identity of the person responsible for Sowjanya's death.
What Happened to the Earlier Accused?
Santhosh Rao, who had been prosecuted in the case, was acquitted by a Sessions Court in 2023.
The Supreme Court specifically stated that Rao, having already been tried and acquitted, would not be subject to further investigation or prosecution in relation to the same offence. So the court's new investigation order does not reopen the case against him.
The court also made clear that its order should not be interpreted as a finding, even prima facie, against any other person. The new SIT has been directed to conduct its investigation independently and in accordance with law.
Sowjanya Case Dates Back to 2012
Sowjanya, a student at SDM College in Ujire, was reported missing on October 9, 2012, while returning home from college.
Her body was found the following day in a forested area near the Nethravathi River in Dharmasthala. The case was first registered by Belthangady Police before being taken up by the CBI in 2014.
The Supreme Court judgment noted that certain potential witnesses had not been properly examined during earlier investigations and also referred to forensic material that could potentially still be compared with samples from persons identified during a fresh investigation.
Three-Month Deadline for SIT
A three-month period has also been given to the new SIT to complete the investigation and submit the required police report.
The team will therefore have to look at the evidence available, revisit the investigative leads and comply with the Supreme Court’s directions while safeguarding the legal protections with regard to those who were previously acquitted.
The latest development brings the Sowjanya case back into the investigative process after nearly 14 years and places the focus on a fresh, independent examination of the evidence.
