Karnataka SIT Recreates Crime Scene in 14-Year-Old Sohjanya Rape and Murder Case
The Karnataka SIT has recreated the crime scene of the 14-year-old Sohjanya case to gather new evidence following a Supreme Court directive.
Mangaluru, October 31 (Daily Kiran) : A special investigation team (SIT) in Karnataka has recreated the crime scene related to the notorious Sohjanya rape and murder case, which dates back 14 years. This action was taken on Saturday, following orders from the Supreme Court to conduct a renewed investigation.
Senior police officials inspected the crime site, simulating the events surrounding the incident. This exercise aimed to collect new evidence and examine the circumstances related to the crime. The SIT is led by Superintendent of Police Lokesh B. Jaglaskar and Assistant Commissioner of Police Manoj Kumar Naik. Relatives of the victim, Purandara Gowda and Tukaram Gowda, were also present, with Purandara being the first to discover Sohjanya’s body and a key complainant in the case.
The entire area was cordoned off with barricades and security tape, restricting public access. The SIT team gathered evidence and other materials from the site. Authorities also blocked off the road adjacent to the forest area where Sohjanya was allegedly abducted while returning home from a bus stop. Her body was later found in a nearby forest.
Officials preserved soil samples from the location where Sohjanya’s body was discovered. Experts from the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) and Crime Scene Officers (SOCO), along with engineers from the Public Works Department (PWD), participated in the investigation, having traveled from Bengaluru to assist the SIT.
Personnel from the local police station were deployed to ensure security at the site. This renewed investigation was initiated following the Supreme Court’s directive to re-examine the 14-year-old case.
The Supreme Court of India ordered the formation of a 90-day SIT in October 2012 for the case involving 17-year-old Sohjanya, who went missing near Dharmasthala and was later found dead near the Netravati River, showing signs of sexual assault and violence.
Santosh Rao was arrested early in the investigation, but a special CBI court acquitted him in June 2023 due to insufficient evidence linking him to the crime. After the Karnataka High Court dismissed petitions for further investigation in 2024, Sohjanya’s mother, Kusumawati Gowda, appealed to the Supreme Court.
On September 21, 2026, the Supreme Court overturned previous rulings, criticizing the negligence of the Karnataka police, crime branch, and CBI, and ordered a fresh investigation.
