Dharmasthala Rape-Murder Case: Supreme Court Orders Fresh Probe Into Sowjanya’s 2012 Death, Sets 3-Month Deadline

The Supreme Court has ordered a fresh investigation into the 2012 rape and murder of 17-year-old Sowjanya in Ujire, Karnataka, with a deadline of three months for the completion of the investigation and submission of a report, according to India Today. The case, which has been under multiple investigations, saw the sole accused, Santhosh Rao, being acquitted by a special CBI court in June 2023 for lack of reasonable doubt.

Sowjanya's family continues to believe that the actual perpetrators remain unidentified and that crucial evidence was overlooked. The court has directed that officers involved in earlier investigations should not be part of the new team. The Supreme Court expressed concerns over the CBI's handling of the case, describing it as "poor" and "non-independent," and suggested a state-led investigation, potentially via a Special Investigation Team (SIT), according to Deccan Herald.