SIT to review Chikkakempamma’s petition in Dharmasthala Case

Bengaluru/Belthangady

The Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the Dharmasthala mass burial case will review relevant portions of the petition filed by Chikkakempamma Y L, the only surviving witness to the alleged kidnapping of the deceased Soujanya.

In an acknowledgment dated September 26, 2025, the Investigation Officer stated, “We have reviewed your petition. The government has formed the SIT to probe case number 39/2025 registered at the Dharmasthala Police Station. The investigation is underway in adherence to the terms of reference. The relevant aspects of the petition will be reviewed, and action will be taken.”

It may be recalled that 17-year-old Soujanya, a resident of Pangala in Dharmasthala, was found dead on October 10, 2012, in nearby woods. The lone accused, Santosh Rao, who was arrested by the local police, was acquitted by the trial court in July 2023. The court, in its verdict, highlighted several lapses in the investigations conducted by multiple agencies. The probe, initially handled by the local police, was later transferred to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) and subsequently to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) following public pressure.

Chikkakempamma of Mandya district has stated that “on October 9, 2012, during her visit to the Dharmasthala Temple, she saw men forcefully carrying a teenage girl.” She has also recorded her statement before the SIT through a video session.

It remains to be seen how the SIT will utilize her crucial information in the mass burial case, as the team is not probing the Soujanya case. For any agency to reinvestigate the matter, approval from the Supreme Court or High Court is required, as the trial has concluded and the accused has been acquitted.