The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) district units of Karnataka’s Dakshina Kannada and Udupi organised a protest at the Belthangady taluk office, with the participation of all BJP MLAs and MLCs from the respective districts on Sunday, August 27, demanding reinvestigation of the Sowjanya rape and murder case.
Addressing the gathering, Nalin Kumar Kateel, the State BJP President, said, "The recent acquittal of the lone suspect by the CBI court leaves the question of the real culprits unanswered. We are committed to seeking the truth. Those who possess vital information about the perpetrators of the Sowjanya case will receive protection from the Union government if they come forward with evidence to aid the investigation."
The sentiment echoed across the protest as Belthangady MLA Harish Poonja emphasised that immediate action was essential. Karkala MLA V Sunil Kumar said, "While pursuing justice for Sowjanya, we must refrain from defaming religious places and institutions. Let us focus on the cause without tarnishing the image of places of worship or undermining religious beliefs."
Meanwhile, the three men who the family suspects was behind the crime – Dheeraj Khella, Mallik Jain, and Udaya Jain – undertook a pledge in the presence of Sowjanya’s mother Kusumavathi, amidst a procession from Dharmasthala’s Netravati to Annappa Swami Hill on Sunday, August 27. The procession was part of the ongoing protests across Karnataka seeking a reinvestigation into the case.
Responding to the accusations, Dheeraj Khella said, "We have made a solemn commitment regarding the ongoing case before the divine court. We firmly believe in our innocence. Just like anyone else, we too have families and our reputation has been unjustly marred by society's assumptions. May divine justice ultimately prevail in this matter."
The three men had sought a stay from the Karnataka High Court and the case records indicate that apart from conducting brain mapping and polygraph examinations in March 2015, the police did not pursue additional investigations to examine the role of Malik, Dheeraj, and Udaya in the case.
When the Karnataka High Court granted a stay in favour of these three individuals, it noted that the trial was already well-progressed, making it improper to add more accused at that juncture.
The Sowjanya case traces back to October 9, 2012, when Sowjanya, a second-year pre-university student enrolled at Sri Dharmasthala Manjunatheshwara College in Ujire went missing. Her body was discovered the following day in an isolated area close to the Nethravathi River. She was found with her hands tied to a tree with her own shawl.
After an extensive 11-year investigation, a Bengaluru court cleared the sole accused, Santhosh Rao, of all allegations on June 16, 2023. The court expressed doubts about the reliability of the evidence presented during the trial, suggesting that it could have been planted or ignored. Additionally, the court criticized the flawed investigative process and alleged manipulation of medical records. The case against Santhosh had primarily rested on his confession to the police, the retrieval of his garments, and the presence of injury marks. However, the court found these pieces of evidence inadequate to definitively implicate him.
Throughout the protracted legal proceedings, Sowjanya's family consistently asserted that Santhosh had been falsely implicated and contended that the investigation had not been conducted comprehensively. Since Santhosh’s acquittal, the Sowjanya case has sparked significant public interest and scrutiny with various right-wing and advocacy groups holding protests seeking reinvestigation into the case.
Editor’s Note: TNM has used Sowjanya’s name with written consent from her mother.