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MANGALURU: An order of the 50th additional city civil and sessions court, Bengaluru, on February 7 has rekindled hopes of Chandappa Gowda and Kusumavathi, parents of Soujanya. Making clear its displeasure at the manner in which CBI was investigating the rape and murder of Soujanya, the court - designated special CBI court directed the investigating agency to take this matter on priority and conduct further investigations and submit the report by April 24. Soujanya was found murdered on September 9, 2012.

 Judge B S Rekha cited powers to order further investigation as provided under Section 178 (3) of CrPC (citation report between Hasanbhai Valighai Qureshi versus state of Gujarat and others - AIR 2004 SC 2078). "CBI has to probe in to the matter and conduct fair/proper investigation by considering all observations made in the order and also by examining proper witnesses and documents and relevant CDRs of persons against whom allegations are made," she said.

 Vishnu Murthy Bhat, social activist, said the special CBI court’s order will certainly restore faith of people in the judiciary that justice will be provided to the aggrieved parents. There was a concerted attempt right from the beginning by the DK district police first under then superintendent of police Abhishek Goyal, followed by CID and CBI subsequently to derail the process of investigation due to pressure for certain quarters in Dharmasthala. This will be addressed now, he said.

 Recalling with anguish the last time she saw her daughter alive, Kusumavathi said she has not given up hope that the perpetrators of her daughter’s untimely death will go unpunished. "We had specifically wanted the investigations to focus on role of Dheeraj Jain, Mallik Jain and Uday Jain in the death of Soujanya and this is what the court has upheld," she said adding the deadline imposed on CBI to submit the report should result in a meaningful investigation.

 Maintaining that Santhosh Rao of Kukkundur village in Karkala taluk shown by police as the sole perpetrator of the heinous crime is innocent, Chandappa Gowda said, "We are happy with the direction given by the court. We are also happy that CBI will now have to investigate the people - Dheeraj, Mallik and Uday whom we are certain are responsible for the death of our daughter," he said adding he is looking forward to how the investigating agency goes ahead.