The Karnataka High Court has granted interim relief to YouTuber Sameer M D by staying the First Information Report (FIR) lodged against him for his video related to the Soujanya rape and murder case. Justice Hemant Chandangoudar issued the stay on Tuesday, citing concerns over the FIR’s impact on freedom of expression.
Sameer, known for his investigative work on his channel ‘Dhootha: Sameer MD’, posted a video titled “Dharmasthala Soujanya Case,” which has since attracted over 18 million views. The video explores various criminal cases in the Dharmasthala area, focusing particularly on the 2012 incident involving Soujanya, a 17-year-old Pre-University student from Sri Dharmasthala Manjunatheshwara College. Her brutal murder and alleged rape had previously led to widespread discussion and protest across Karnataka, especially after the wrongful conviction and subsequent acquittal of Santosh Rao.
The FIR, filed by Cowl Bazaar Police under Section 299 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, for hurting religious sentiments, was vigorously contested by Sameer’s Advocate on Record, A Velan. Velan argued that the FIR constituted a “gross abuse of the legal process” and infringed upon Sameer’s fundamental right to freedom of expression. He warned of the dangerous precedent that could be established should the police’s interpretation of Section 299 BNS be upheld.
The Soujanya case has been a focal point of controversy in the state, with the victim’s body initially found near the Nethravathi river, tied to a tree. The initial suspect, Santhosh Rao, was acquitted in June 2023 by a Bengaluru Sessions Court amid allegations of a flawed investigation and interference by local religious leaders, including Veerendra Heggade, who were accused of shielding the real culprits.
