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Tough IPS Officer Lokesh B Jagalaskar Appointed to Investigate Sowjanya Case
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News18•02-10-2026, 09:36
Tough IPS Officer Lokesh B Jagalaskar Appointed to Investigate Sowjanya Case
- •Senior IPS officer Lokesh B Jagalaskar has been appointed as the investigating officer for the re-investigation of the Sowjanya rape case in Dharmasthala.
- •The decision was made during an SIT team meeting, with ACP Manoj Kumar Naik appointed as the assistant investigating officer.
- •Lokesh B Jagalaskar previously served as SP in Bagalkote and Dharwad, and as DCP in Bengaluru city; he is currently SP in CID.
- •An engineer with advanced technological knowledge, he previously led an investigation into a seven-crore robbery case in Bengaluru, recovering the stolen money within two days.
- •The SIT has requested original case documents and evidence from the CBI, CID, and the court; this marks the first time an IPS officer has been made the investigating officer in the state.
Key Questions Answered
Senior IPS officer Lokesh B Jagalaskar has been appointed as the investigating officer for the Sowjanya rape case re-investigation, while ACP Manoj Kumar Naik has been appointed as the assistant investigating officer.
Lokesh B Jagalaskar was chosen because he is an engineer, is advanced in technology, and has extensive knowledge of police investigation technology, fulfilling the Supreme Court's instructions to include technically capable officers in the SIT team.
The SIT has written letters to the CBI and CID requesting case evidence and files, and has also requested original documents and records from the court that previously handled the investigation.
