Bavaro & Punta Cana March 15, 2025 | 9:35 am

Opposing versions of the case of Sudiksha pass the buck

Punta Cana – In the interrogation carried out by the Public Prosecutor’s Office into the disappearance of the tourist Sudiksha Konanki Chowdary, leaked to the media, the also tourist Joshua Steven Riibe revealed that they kissed on the beach on the night of her disappearance, on the 5th, but he offers contradictory versions to the investigators and refused to answer some of the questions asked by the prosecutor handling the case.

Today marks nine days since the mysterious disappearance. In the document, a copy of which is in the possession of this newspaper, the tourist states that he pulled the young woman out of the water because they were hit by a wave, and in another part of his statements he implies that the young woman stayed on the beach. In addition, in other questions, he merely said that his lawyers advised him not to answer and that he is taking advantage of this.

Riibe, a resident of Iowa, United States, a surveying student and a witness to the disappearance of the 20-year-old American woman of Indian origin, admitted to swimming with her in the early hours of March 5th on the beach in front of the Riu hotel.

The vacationer who was staying at the same hotel and who said he arrived in the country on March 1, stated that he took the young woman out of the water. He then stated that he did not see her again after leaving the beach. In response to the questions posed by prosecutor Luis Omar García on March 12 at the Prosecutor’s Office of the Gender Unit in Verón, Punta Cana, the man who was believed to be the last person to see Sudiksha left five unanswered.

He only indicated that his lawyers advised him not to answer these questions and that he was invoking his right to remain silent.

The reaction began with question 41, when he was asked: How can we verify that everything you have said is true? Could you tell us what your friend Carter Joseph said to you when you asked about the missing girl Konanki-Sudiksha? What is your opinion on Sudiksha’s disappearance? Could the young Sudiksha swim or not? Do you remember if the young Sudiksha made any gestures or screamed while she was in the sea?

Missing, she made two money transactions.

The case that has shocked the population of the Dominican Republic, which has gained international notoriety and is being investigated by the country’s authorities and international agencies, took a turn this Friday, when it emerged that Konanki Chowdary, a medical student at the University of Pittsburgh in the State of Pennsylvania, had made two electronic money transfers, one of a significant amount.

The Sun US revealed that Sudiksha Konanki made two payments, via the payment app Venmo, on the afternoon before her disappearance, 40 minutes apart. The first transaction was made at 2:54 p.m. to an anonymous “new user,” and Konanki used a sailboat emoji to describe it.

The second was made at 15:38 (3:38 in the afternoon) and the description was “Coco Bongo”, a well-known nightclub in Punta Cana, and it was for Ananya Chilakamarri, one of the students on the trip and a friend of the young woman. He points out that “there is no evidence of any wrongdoing on Chilakamarri’s part.”

0 0 votes
Article Rating
Subscribe
Notify of


4 Comments
Oldest
Newest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Marc Baruti
March 15, 2025 9:46 am

It’s more people involved quite possibly,local people.

ChL
March 15, 2025 11:35 am

Well eben the news article is contradictory one time she was 20 then 23 know she is 21 years old ?? Very wired all …..

Jim
March 18, 2025 4:11 pm

If it were me, I wouldn’t be answering these questions either. The job of the police is to produce a suspect for the prosecution to take to trial and make sure they have the right suspect. Unfortunately, the first part often take precedence over the second and in a high-profile case like this, there’s a lot of pressure for the police to produce a suspect, any suspect.  

And look at the questions….

1. How can we verify that everything you have said is true? 
That’s not his job. This is the police’s job. They can check cameras, room key access logs, interviews etc.  

2. Could you tell us what your friend Carter Joseph said to you when you asked about the missing girl Konanki-Sudiksha? 
My answer: “No, you should ask Carter Joseph what he said.” If Carter Joseph is a suspect then give me immunity that this particular statement can’t be used against me. (self incrimination).

3. What is your opinion on Sudiksha’s disappearance?
Asking about his “opinion”, really??? This has nothing to do with anything. That’s like asking anyone, “What’s your opinion on this whole situation?” I’m pretty it would be a unanimous, “This is really terrible.” I hope this was just a Spanish-to-English translation error.

4. Could the young Sudiksha swim or not?
He met her a couple hours earlier. He doesn’t know her life story. Could she ice skate? Run a marathon? Rhodes scholar? Also, while it was reported he had lifeguarded previously, I doubt he’s a qualified opinion on whether someone was capable of swimming in an ocean.

5. Do you remember if the young Sudiksha made any gestures or screamed while she was in the sea?
This is the only question that may have some relevance in determining if she was in the ocean or left the beach with another party. Of course, this question also is about setting up the conditions for a Civil Suit later (Wrongful Death).

All of these questions are “dual use”. They may help the police follow up other leads but they’re also designed to “trip you up”. I don’t blame him for invoking his right to an attorney and remain silent. For good or for bad, that’s the process.

Michael
March 21, 2025 11:23 am

Which of the Venmo’s was the “significant” amount? Have the Police confirmed with “new user” regarding the reason for the payment? So much left undone.