Beltangady: The Karnataka Police have appointed 16 personnel to assist the Special Investigation Team (SIT) constituted to reinvestigate the Sowjanya murder case in Dharmasthala, following the Supreme Court’s order for a fresh investigation.
The Director General and Inspector General of Police, Dr M A Saleem, issued an order on September 29 appointing the personnel as investigation assistants to the five-member SIT.
The newly appointed personnel have been directed to be relieved from their respective police stations immediately and report to the SIT in Bengaluru.
Five-member SIT constituted
The Karnataka government constituted the five-member SIT on September 24 following the Supreme Court’s direction for reinvestigation into the case.
The SIT is headed by Inspector General of Police N Shashikumar, IPS.
The other members are Mangaluru City Police Commissioner C H Sudheer Kumar Reddy, Nisha James of the State Intelligence Department in Bengaluru, CID Superintendent of Police Lokesh Jagalsar and Bengaluru Rural Additional Superintendent of Police Venkatesh Prasanna.
The team has been constituted to undertake the reinvestigation ordered by the Supreme Court.
16 personnel assigned to investigation
The 16 police personnel appointed to assist the SIT include officers and personnel from Mangaluru City Police, Bengaluru City Police, CID and various police stations in Mangaluru.
The personnel appointed as investigation assistants are:
- Mangaluru City CCB ACP Manoj Kumar Naik
- Bengaluru CCB ACP Ramachandra B
- CID Inspector Deepak
- Inspector Mohan D Patil
- Madiwala Traffic Police Station Inspector Eshwari
- Konaje Police Station PSI Puneeth Gavankar
- South Traffic Police Station PSI Pradeep
- Kankanady Police Station PSI Anita Nikam
- Mangaluru CCB ASI Mohan
- Kankanady Police Station personnel Pradeep Kumar Rai
- Kankanady Police Station personnel Govardhan
- Kankanady Police Station personnel Dinesh N
- Ullal Police Station personnel Radhakrishna K K
- Kavoor Police Station personnel Reji V M
- Surathkal Police Station personnel Rajendra Prasad V P
- Kankanady Police Station woman personnel Prameela
The appointments bring personnel from different units and police stations under the SIT investigation framework.
Personnel ordered to report in Bengaluru
According to the order issued by the DGP and IGP, the newly appointed investigation assistants have been directed to leave their present assignments immediately.
They have been instructed to report to the SIT in Bengaluru and assist the team in carrying out the reinvestigation.
The move provides the SIT with additional investigative personnel as it begins work following the Supreme Court’s order.
The personnel drawn from different police units are expected to work under the direction of the SIT headed by IGP N Shashikumar.
Supreme Court order led to fresh investigation
The formation of the SIT follows the Supreme Court’s order for reinvestigation into the Sowjanya murder case.
The Karnataka government subsequently issued the order constituting the five-member team on September 24.
The case relates to the murder of Sowjanya in Dharmasthala. The fresh investigation has now been assigned to the newly constituted SIT.
With the appointment of 16 investigation assistants, the police have expanded the team available to undertake the investigation. The personnel include senior officers as well as sub-inspectors, assistant sub-inspectors and police personnel from several units.
SIT to proceed with reinvestigation
The appointment order marks another step in the administrative process following the constitution of the SIT.
The team headed by N Shashikumar will now have the assistance of the 16 personnel who have been directed to report in Bengaluru. Their deployment from different police stations and units is intended to support the SIT in its investigation.
The reinvestigation will proceed under the directions and framework laid down following the Supreme Court’s order.
With the SIT leadership already in place and additional investigation personnel now assigned, the focus will be on carrying out the fresh investigation into the case in accordance with the court’s directions.