Explained: How did Sooryavansham actress Soundarya die? Why has Mohan Babu been booked 22 years after her death?

K.S. Sowmya Sathyanarayana, popularly known as Soundarya, was a superhit actress of her time known for memorable Telugu cinema performances. Born on July 18, 1972, in Karnataka, the diva saw a tragic end to her life. 22 years later, a case has been filed against actor Mohan Babu for plotting her murder and showing it as accidental. Here¡¯s all that we know so far.

How did Soundarya actually die?

On April 17, 2004, Soundarya tragically died in an aircraft crash near Bengaluru. She who was pregnant at that time and was travelling with her brother, Amarnath, and two others to Karimnagar, Telangana, to campaign for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) during the general elections. Shortly after takeoff, the Cessna 180 aircraft crashed on the campus of the Gandhi Krishi Vigyan Kendra of the University of Agricultural Sciences, resulting in the death of all onboard.

What are the allegations against Mohan Babu?

In March 2025, over two decades after the incident, new allegations surfaced implicating veteran actor Mohan Babu in Soundarya's death. According to News18 Kannada, a person named Chittimallu filed a complaint accusing Mohan Babu of orchestrating the air crash. The complaint alleges that Soundarya owned a six-acre land parcel in Jalpalli village which comes under the Shamshabad region.

Mohan Babu purportedly expressed interest in purchasing this land, but faced opposition from Soundarya's brother, leading to tension between the families. Chittimallu claims that the tension resulted in the planned air crash that killed Soundarya and her brother. He further alleges that after their deaths, Mohan Babu illegally occupied the disputed land.

Additionally, director Kapuganti Rajendra, who worked with Soundarya on her final film Shiva Shankar revealed that during the film's production, Mohan Babu granted Soundarya leave to participate in BJP campaign events. Rajendra speculated that had Mohan Babu not approved her leave, she might not have boarded the ill-fated flight.

As of now, these allegations are based on individual claims and speculations. No official confirmation or legal action is substantiating Mohan Babu's involvement in Soundarya's death.

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