State vs. Jaswantbhai Nai and others — Bilkis Bano case

A 65-year-old accused was convicted and awarded death penalty for rape and murder of a minor. The case gained attention for the speed of investigation and trial. Police collected evidence from multiple sources and coordinated with forensic experts. A comprehensive chargesheet of 1,200 pages was filed on May 16.

The Supreme Court of India has ordered a fresh investigation into the 2012 rape and murder of a girl in Dharmasthala, Karnataka, following renewed public and legal interest in the case.

Multiple rape and murder cases in Dharmasthala, Karnataka, spanning from 1986 onwards, have come to light following allegations by a former sanitation worker that he was coerced into burying victims' bodies over two decades. The most documented case involves 17-year-old Soujanya (also spelled Sowjanya), whose 2012 rape and murder remains unsolved. A Karnataka High Court has issued notice on a petition seeking fresh investigation, and a Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been constituted to probe the allegations of mass burials and secret graves.