Sowjanya SIT likely to issue notice to Harshendra Kumar Hegde

Bengaluru

Highly placed sources in the Home Department informed blrpost.com that the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the killing of 17-year-old Sowjanya is likely to issue a notice to Harshendra Kumar Hegde, sibling of Dharmasthala Dharmadhikari D Veerendra Heggade.

Sowjanya went missing on October 9, 2012, while returning from her college in Ujire, Karnataka. Her body was discovered the following day in a nearby forested area. Following the acquittal of the sole accused, Santhosh Rao, by a special Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court last year, the victim’s mother filed a petition seeking accountability. Acting on this appeal, the Supreme Court directed the Karnataka government to constitute a new Special Investigation Team. Previously, the case was investigated by Belthangady police, then by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), and later by the CBI.

A police officer involved in the SIT said, “The team is presently examining officers involved in the previous investigations. Notices will be issued to others after this process is completed.” The officer made this statement when asked whether the team had issued a notice to Harshendra Hegde.

Meanwhile, SIT chief and Inspector General of Police (IGP) N Shashi Kumar has been relieved of the responsibility at his request. On Wednesday, he met Chief Minister D K Shivakumar at his residence. Sources said he had requested to be relieved.

A highly placed source in the Home Department further said the SIT would not fear anyone and was preparing to issue a notice to Harshendra Hegde. The SIT would question him and several others, as this was necessary for the case. However, another police source said, “The notice to Harshendra Hegde has already been served.” This website could not independently verify the claim.

A police official in the SIT said the team was currently examining nearly 15 officials involved in previous investigations. The then Belthangady PSI, Yogeesh Kumar, Inspector Bhaskar Rai, and then DySP Rudramuni have appeared for questioning.