Consultation on Soujanya case held after Karnataka High Court lifts gag order

Bengaluru: The Karnataka High Court has lifted a gag order imposed by the Bengaluru City police on a consultation meeting regarding the Soujanya case.

Advocates challenged the order in court through a writ petition and won.

"The meeting was initially planned at the Kannada Sahitya Parishad, but the police intervened, citing a legal notice from lawyers representing Dharmasthala and pressuring us to cancel it," said advocate and activist Vinay Srinivasa.

The discussion was eventually held at the All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC) office in Seshadripuram on Tuesday evening, bringing together writers, thinkers, and activists to revisit the Soujanya case, which shook Karnataka 13 years ago.

Soujanya (17), a second-year Pre-University student of the Sri Dharmasthala Manjunatheshwara College, was raped and murdered on October 9, 2012.

AITUC President Anantha Subbarao highlighted past instances of police interference.

"They once raided our premises over a meeting they disapproved of," he said.

Srinivasa criticised the government for stifling peaceful gatherings despite its claims of upholding constitutional values.

Key decisions from the meeting

A large state-level meeting will be organised to intensify the movement for justice in the Soujanya case.

District-level meetings will be held to mobilise support.

Pressure will be exerted on the state government to act on the CBI court’s directive to question officials who mishandled the case.

A postcard campaign addressed to the Chief Minister will be launched.