Karnataka HC Stays FIR Against YouTuber for His Video on Soujanya Murder Case
Bengaluru, Mar 11 (PTI): The Karnataka High Court on Tuesday stayed the First Information Report against YouTuber Sameer M D, who was booked for his investigative video on the Soujanya rape and murder case.
Soujanya (17), a second-year Pre-University student of the Sri Dharmasthala Manjunatheshwara College was allegedly raped and murder on October 9, 2012.
Justice Hemant Chandangoudar granted interim relief to the petitioner by staying the FIR, which was registered at Cowl Bazaar Police Station in Ballari under Section 299 (hurting religious sentiments) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023.
Sameer had posted a video titled "Dharmasthala Soujanya Case" on his YouTube channel ‘Dhootha: Sameer MD', which has garnered over 18 million views.
The video peeps into several criminal cases spanning decades in the Dharmasthala region, with particular focus on the 2012 rape and murder of Soujanya, the wrongful conviction and subsequent acquittal of Santosh Rao, and patterns of alleged influence in multiple criminal investigations.
On March 5, 2025, Cowl Bazaar police filed a case on its own stating that the video was religious sentiments of people towards Dharmasthala and its religious leaders.
Advocate on Record A Velan, who led the arguments for Sameer, argued that the FIR was a gross abuse of the legal process and violated the petitioner's fundamental right to expression.
Velan highlighted the dangerous precedent that would be set if the police interpretation of Section 299 BNS were allowed to stand.
Soujanya case was widely discussed case in Karnataka, especially in the coastal region of the state. Her body was found near the Nethravathi river and her hands were tied to a tree with her shawl.
The police charged Santhosh Rao with the murder but he was acquitted by a Bengaluru Sessions Court on June 16, 2023. Throughout the legal proceedings, Soujanya's family maintained that Santhosh Rao had been wrongfully implicated, alleging flaws in the investigation and asserting that Veerendra Heggade, a religious leader from Dharmasthala, shielded the actual perpetrators.
The acquittal prompted public protests and renewed calls for a fresh inquiry into the case.
After 11 years of investigation, a Bengaluru court acquitted the lone accused, Santhosh Rao, of all the charges in 2023.
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IndianOil says it has scaled up Auto LPG supplies
Bengaluru (PTI): IndianOil on Thursday said it has significantly scaled up its Auto LPG supplies across Karnataka in response to a sharp surge in demand, particularly following the closure or partial shutdown of several private Auto LPG outlets in Bengaluru and other parts of the state.
The PSU major said it is currently meeting the fuel requirements of auto rickshaws and LPG-driven cars through its network of 55 Auto LPG Dispensing Stations (ALDS) spread across Karnataka, even as a substantial portion of demand has shifted to public sector outlets due to over 300 privately operated outlets being closed or only partially functional.
"Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IndianOil) has significantly scaled up its Auto LPG supplies across Karnataka in response to a recent surge in demand," V Vetriselvakkumar, Chief General Manager (Corporate Communications) said in a release.
He added that the move comes particularly following the closure or partial shutdown of several private Auto LPG outlets in Bengaluru and other parts of the state.
Despite the increased operational burden, the company said it has taken concerted measures to ensure uninterrupted supply and efficient service delivery to LPG-powered vehicles during the current situation.
The average daily sales at IndianOil's ALDS in Karnataka have risen sharply to 59.53 metric tonne (MT), compared to the previous three-month average of 43.4 MT, reflecting a significant spike in consumer demand, the release said.
Reiterating its commitment, Vetriselvakkumar said IndianOil remains focused on ensuring seamless fuel accessibility while adhering to government directives and maintaining equitable distribution across all sectors.
