Soujanya case: Karnataka forms SIT headed by N. Shashikumar for fresh probe

The State government has constituted a five-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) to conduct a fresh investigation into the 2012 Soujanya case registered at the Belthangady Police Station in Dakshina Kannada district and the FIR subsequently re-registered by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

Inspector-General of Police N. Shashikumar has been appointed as the SIT chief. The team includes Mangaluru City Police Commissioner C.H. Sudheer Kumar Reddy, State Intelligence Superintendent of Police Nisha James, Criminal Investigation Department (CID) Superintendent of Police Lokesh Jagalsar and Bengaluru Rural Additional Superintendent of Police Venkatesh Prasanna.

The government constituted the SIT following directions issued by the Supreme Court while hearing a special leave petition filed by Kusumavathi Gowda, mother of Soujanya. The court had directed the State government to complete the fresh investigation within three months and submit a report to the court, besides ordering constitution of an SIT for the purpose.

The SIT has been constituted with jurisdiction across Karnataka under the relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023, the order stated.

The government order stated that the SIT has been declared a police station for the territorial jurisdiction of Karnataka under Section 2(1)(u) of the BNSS, 2023. The investigating officers of the SIT have also been authorised to submit a police report before the competent court under Section 193 of the BNSS.

The SIT will function under the supervision of the Director-General and Inspector-General of Police, Karnataka.

The SIT has been given three months to complete the comprehensive investigation and submit its final investigation report to the competent court. After completion of the investigation, the DG&IGP will submit a report to the State government.