RTI activist Lingaraju murder: Supreme Court issues notice in plea challenging acquittal of all accused

The Supreme Court on Monday issued notice in a challenge to the acquittal of all persons earlier accused in the murder of Right to Information (RTI) activist and journalist, Lingaraju..A bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Ahsanuddin Amanullah has sought the reply of the acquitted persons in an appeal challenging the Karnataka High Court's decision to acquit them. .C Govindraju, a candidate contesting on a Janata Dal (Secular) ticket from Chamrajpet Assembly constituency, Bangalore, and his wife Gowramma, and 10 others were accused earlier of murdering Lingaraju.Lingaraju was killed on November 20, 2012, in broad daylight outside his house. Prior to his murder, Lingaraju had filed several corruption complaints against the accused politicians, Govindraju and Gowramma. Based on these complaints, the police also conducted a raid on the duo's house on November 9, 2012, which was 11 days before the murder took place..Following the murder, the Karnataka High Court constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to conduct an inquiry in the murder case.Subsequently, in an order dated October 28, 2020, the Bengaluru session court convicted 12 individuals, including hired killers, and Govindraju, and Goramma, for murder under the Indian Penal Code (IPC). These persons were also sentenced to life imprisonment by the trial court.However, on November 4, 2022, all the accused were acquitted by the Karnataka High Court on appeal. This order of acquittal has now been challenged before the Supreme Court by the State government.Additional Advocate General Aman Panwar along with Advocate VN Raghupathy appeared for the State.