BJP seeks re-investigation into Soujanya rape-murder case

State BJP president B.Y. Vijayendra on Monday urged the State government to reopen the Soujanya murder case of 2012 to provide justice to the family of the rape-and-murder victim.

Speaking at the ‘Dharmasthala chalo’ programme in Dharmasthala, Mr. Vijayendra said that the BJP will support the re-investigation into the case. He said that the government should constitute an acquittal review committee related to the case.

Mr. Vijayendra later visited Soujanya’s home and met her mother and other family members.

It may be noted that in 2024, the Karnataka High Court stated that no purpose would be served even if a reinvestigation were permitted into the case.

The court rejected the plea for a fresh investigation into the case of 17-year-old Soujanya, a student of SDM Pre-University College, Ujire, near Dharmasthala, in Dakshina Kannada.

Also, the High Court upheld the acquittal of the sole accused by observing that the trial court had “properly discussed the evidence” to conclude that “no circumstance is proved by the prosecution” against the accused.

A Division Bench comprising Justice Sreenivas Harish Kumar and Justice J.M. Khazi passed the order by dismissing petitions filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), the victim’s father, Chandappa Gowda, and the acquitted person, Santhosh Rao.

Both Mr. Gowda and Mr. Rao had sought directives to the CBI to reinvestigate the case to trace the real culprits. The CBI had filed an appeal against the June 6, 2023, trial court order of acquitting Mr. Rao.

“…the incident occurred on October 9, 2012. There were no eyewitnesses, and the case depended on the circumstances. Nobody saw the girl being forcibly taken by the suspects or by someone else. Medical evidence cannot be improved, and neither can the forensic evidence. It is doubtful that evidence that could not be collected at the golden hour is still available,” the Bench observed while rejecting the plea for reinvestigation.

Speaking to presspersons after meeting the family of Soujanya on Monday, the BJP State president said that the party will meet the court expenses in case the family decides to file an appeal before the Supreme Court.