Soujanya murder case: Chetan Singh Rathor appointed as new SIT chief

Inspector General of Police Chetan Singh Rathor has been appointed as the new chief of the Special Investigation Team (SIT) re-investigating the 2012 murder of 17-year-old Soujanya near Dharmasthala, replacing N. Shashikumar.

In an order passed on October 30, the State government has included Additional Superintendent of Police Srinidhi in the SIT. Mr. Srinidhi replaces Additional Superintendent of Police Venkatesh Prasanna.

Mr. Shashikumar and Mr. Prasanna had requested the government to relieve them of their duties in the SIT amid allegations by a section of people questioning their integrity.

It may be noted that on September 21, the Supreme Court accepted a petition filed by Soujanya’s mother, Kusumavathi, and directed the State government to reinvestigate the case within three months. Subsequently, the government constituted an SIT headed by Mr. Shashikumar. The other members of the SIT include Mangaluru Police Commissioner and Deputy Inspector General of Police Sudheer Kumar Reddy, and Superintendents of Police Nisha James and Lokesh Jagalasar. More than 20 police personnel were assigned to the SIT.