Shashikumar Reportedly Seeks To Step Down As SIT Chief In 2012 Rape-Murder Case

According to sources, Shashikumar has conveyed his decision to senior officials. If his request is accepted by the government, another senior IPS officer of IGP grade is likely to be appointed to head the SIT.

The SIT has already started an investigation. The officials related to the case have been questioned and the DNA sample of the mother was also collected in the presence of a Magistrate last week.
On September 24, the state government had constituted a five-member SIT following directions from the Supreme Court to conduct a fresh investigation into the case.

Apart from Shashikumar, the order named Mangaluru City Police Commissioner CH Sudheer Kumar Reddy, State Intelligence SP Nisha James, CID SP Lokesh Jagalsar and Bengaluru Rural Additional SP Venkatesh Prasanna.

The SIT was directed to complete the investigation and submit its final report to the competent court within three months.

Meanwhile, some individuals have approached the SIT doubting whether the woman identified as the victim’s mother is her biological mother.

However, SIT DIG CH Sudheer Kumar Reddy clarified that the team had no doubts about her identity and would not take up matters unrelated to the investigation.

"Some media reports have referred to people questioning whether Kusumavathi is the victim's mother. We have no doubts whatsoever in that regard. We will not go beyond the scope of the investigation or investigate issues that are not relevant to the case," he said.

Reddy added that any local disputes, if they existed, would be dealt with by the jurisdictional police.