Bengaluru, Nov 17 (NationPress) The Karnataka High Court recently annulled the externment order placed on activist Mahesh Shetty Thimarody concerning the 2012 Soujanya death case. Thimarody has been actively challenging the Dharmasthala temple authorities related to this case and has prominently featured in protests against the alleged mass grave incident.

The ruling was delivered by a Bench led by Justice Suraj Govindaraj, who also instructed the prosecution to initiate a new investigation into Thimarody’s actions and mandated the issuance of a fresh order with justifiable reasons and applicable legal sections within 15 days.

On September 18, Mahesh Shetty Thimarody was ordered to relocate to Raichur district from his home in Mangaluru for one year, a decision he contested in court.

This externment was executed by the administration of the Mangaluru district, following a report from the Bantwal Dy SP, leading to a directive from Puttur Division Assistant Commissioner Stella Varghese. Thimarody was one of 36 individuals subjected to such proceedings to preserve law and order.

The Karnataka government justified its decision to extern Thimarody, who has been advocating for justice in the Soujanya death case, asserting that the order adhered to legal protocols and upheld the principles of natural justice. The directive required him to remain in Manvi town, Raichur district.

However, Thimarody alleged that the government and the Home Department acted with bias against him, lacking transparency regarding the criminal cases referenced to support the externment. He maintained that he had been acquitted in approximately ten cases, with two others closed.

The prosecution countered his claims, affirming that there was no infringement of natural justice principles and that the externment order was procedurally sound. After hearing both parties, the court instructed the authorities to refrain from taking coercive actions against Thimarody and reserved the case for a future judgment.

The murder of Soujanya, a 17-year-old college student, in October 2012 near Dharmasthala in Mangaluru district triggered widespread public outrage, with numerous organizations alleging mishandling of the investigation. Thimarody and other activists accused that she was kidnapped, gang-raped, and killed, targeting the temple management in their accusations.