Bengaluru: While the family members of slain journalist and activist Gauri Lankesh have set a deadline before the state government that it should refer the case to the CBI if the state police fail to arrest the killers in two weeks, I Am Gauri the forum for movement against Lankesh’s assassination has written to the CM asking him not to refer the case to the CBI.
The forum, formed by Gauri’s friends and likeminded people has written to CM Siddaramaiah, demanding booking those who are celebrating the murder on charges of instigating it. “It’s a dangerous trend that murders are being celebrated on social media. Even when U.R. Ananthamurthy passed away and Dr M.M. Kalburgi was shot dead, people had “celebrated” by posting insensitive messages. Celebrating murder is nothing but instgation. Those involved in such outrageous acts should be traced and arrested on charges of instigating the murder,” the forum said.
Opposing the demand for a CBI probe, the forum said, “It is known that the CBI is a caged parrot of the central government and is being misused to silence opponents. It has investigated the Narendra Dabholkar murder for four years, and no arrests have been made. There is no need to refer Ms Lankesh’s case to the CBI. The government should realise that delay in the arrest of Dr M.M. Kalburgi’s killers is also a reasons for Ms. Lankesh’s murder. Killers in both cases should be nabbed at the earliest. Instead of handing over the case to CBI, the SIT should intensify the investigation.”
