Bengaluru: Following an order from the Bombay High Court, the Karnataka police is all set to hand over the custody of three accused in the murder of a noted journalist and activist Gauri Lankesh to Maharashtra police.
The accused Amol Kale, former convener of Hindu Janajagruti Sami and the alleged mastermind in Gauri’s murder, Ganesh Miskin, the man who drove Waghmore on the evening of September 5, 2017, and another accused Amit Baddi will be shifted to Mumbai’s Arthur Road prison.
They are currently lodged at the Parappana Agrahara Central Prison here along with 15 other accused arrested for the murder.
The Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the murder had arrested Kale on May 21, 2018, while Miskin and Baddi were arrested on July 22, 2018.
The Maharashtra police are in talks with the Karnataka police over the custody of the three accused, also allegedly involved in the murder of rationalists Narendra Dhabolkar, Govind Pansare and M.M. Kalburgi. The names of the trio also figured in the recent Nalasopara arms haul case.
“We have got all the necessary information from the accused regarding the Gauri Lankesh murder and also established their roles. The accused would be shifted to Mumbai jail amid tight security as they are involved in multiple cases,” a senior SIT officer said.
The Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) had sought the custody of the trio for further investigation, which Justice Mridula Bhatkar of Bombay High Court had granted.
ATS had got their custody for six days in October as well, but a court had refused to extend their police remand and sent them to judicial custody. They were then moved to Parappana Agrahara Central Prison in the city.
The judge asked the state government and additional director general of ATS to make necessary security arrangements for transferring the accused to Mumbai. The court will hear the petition next on January 28.
A notice has been sent to the Bengaluru Central Jail Superintendent and the Maharashtra government, asking the latter to ensure adequate security arrangements for transportation of the accused.
