Special CBI court acquits Sowjanya rape and murder accused for lack of evidence

BENGALURU: In a major development, a CBI special court has acquitted the accused in the sensational Sowjanya rape and murder case after a 11-year-long trial. The special court judge Santosh C B, in his order, cited lack of evidence and acquitted the accused Santhosh Rao.

Sowjanya was studying at the SDM College at Ujire in Belthangady taluk. She was kidnapped and murdered and her body was found near Dharmastala on October 10, 2010. After allegations that the police had not investigated the case properly, it was handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

The accused Santosh Rao’s advocate Mohit Kumar argued that he was not present at the scene where the rape and murder occurred and pointed out that there was no medical report establishing rape.

On the day of the incident, it was raining and around 500 people had conducted a search, but nothing was found. The accused was arrested only two days later, he said and pointed out that there was no recording at the nature cure centre and that the autopsy was conducted at night in bad light.