SIT issues notices to accused in Sowjanya murder case, gets 3 more days custody of Chinnaiah

MANGALURU: In a surprise move, the special investigation team (SIT), which is investigating the alleged mass burial case in Dharmasthala, has issued notices to three of the former accused in the Sowjanya rape and murder case to appear for questioning. In a related development, the SIT has got three days further custody of the masked complainant Chinnaiah.

The SIT, on July 23, had got 12 days custody of Chinnaiah during which he was questioned thoroughly. The police also conducted a search at another complainant Jayanth T’s house in Bengaluru based on Chinnaiah’s disclosure.

As the 12-day custody ended on Tuesday, the masked man was produced before a Belthangady court on Wednesday which sent him to police custody for three more days. Judge Vijayanand T directed the SIT to produce Chinnaiah again on September 6.

Chinnaiah was earlier taken for a medical test.

Earlier, Chinnaiah was taken for medical tests before he was produced before the court. The SIT also updated the court on the progress of the investigation and sought more custody for investigation.

Sowjanya’s mother had lodged a complaint with the SIT.

Meanwhile, the SIT issued notices to Sowjanya case accused Uday Kumar Jain, Dheeraj Kella and Mallik Jain to join the investigation. On Wednesday, Uday Kumar Jain appeared before the SIT for questioning.

Prior to that, he told Public TV, “The SIT may have issued the notice based on the complaint given by Sowjanya’s mother to the SIT and I am prepared for any sort of investigation. It could be a ploy to divert attention as nothing was found during exhumation. The CID and CBI have already investigated the case and I had even undergone brain mapping”.