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

The Karnataka government has recently established a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to conduct a new probe into the 2012 Soujanya case, according to the source. The five-member team, headed by Inspector-General of Police N. Shashikumar, comprises C.H. Sudheer Kumar Reddy, Nisha James, Lokesh Jagalsar, and Venkatesh Prasanna. The formation of the SIT was ordered by the Supreme Court in response to a special leave petition filed by Kusumavathi Gowda, Soujanya's mother.

The court mandated the State government to complete the investigation within three months and submit a report to the court. The SIT operates with jurisdiction across Karnataka and is authorized to submit a police report before the court under Section 193 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023. The team will function under the supervision of the Director-General and Inspector-General of Police, Karnataka.