India Seeks Review As US Court Drops Criminal Charges In Jaahnavi Kandula Case

After a US court dropped criminal charges against a Seattle police officer who ran over 23-year-old Indian student Jaahnavi Kandula, India has sought a review of the US court judgment while urging the local authorities "for appropriate redress".

The Consulate General of India in Seattle, in a social media post, said, "India has sought a review of the US court judgment that dropped criminal charges against a Seattle police officer who killed 23-year-old Indian student Jaahnavi Kandula. The prosecutor said she could not pursue criminal charges against the officer due to lack of sufficient evidence."

It further said, "On the recently released investigation report of the King County Prosecution Attorney on the unfortunate death of Jaahnavi Kandula, Consulate has been in regular touch with the designated family representatives and will continue to extend all possible support in ensuring justice for Jaahnavi and her family. We have also raised the matter strongly with local authorities, including Seattle Police for appropriate redress. The case has now been referred to the Seattle City Attorney's office for review."

The statement further stated, "We await completion of Seattle Police's administrative investigation and will continue to monitor progress on the case."

On January 23, Jaahnavi Kandula tragically lost her life when Officer Kevin Dave's patrol vehicle struck her as she crossed a street in Seattle. Reports indicate that the officer was responding to a drug overdose call and was travelling at a speed of 74 mph. Upon impact, Kandula was thrown 100 feet.

The bodycam footage revealed Officer Daniel Auderer, though not directly implicated in the collision, laughing and making callous remarks about the crash and Jaahnavi Kandula's age and value.

In the video, Auderer can be heard saying, "But she is dead," followed by laughter while on the phone. He also remarked, "She was 26 anyway. She had limited value."

Following the incident, Auderer was removed from patrol duty in September 2023 and reassigned to a non-operational role. However, he still faces the possibility of termination due to the fallout from his insensitive comments captured on the bodycam.

King County Prosecuting Attorney Leesa Manion said, "Kandula's death is heartbreaking and impacted communities in King County and across the world."

"It is the responsibility of the King County Prosecuting Attorney's Office to review all available evidence relating to the case involving Seattle Police Officer Kevin Dave and the January 2023 collision death of Jaahnavi Kandula. After staffing this case with senior deputy prosecuting attorneys and office leadership, I have determined that we lack sufficient evidence under Washington State law to prove a criminal case beyond a reasonable doubt."

"Officer Auderer's comments were also unprofessional and undermined the public's trust in the Seattle Police Department and law enforcement in general," Manion noted.

"As egregious as Officer Auderer's comments are, they do not change the PAO's legal analysis into the conduct of Officer Dave. It is the Office of Police Accountability that bears the responsibility of disciplinary investigation and proceedings relating to Officer Auderer's comment, not the PAO."