SIT submits first chargesheet of 650 pages in Gauri Lankesh murder case

Mumbai: The Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the murder of journalist and activist Gauri Lankesh filed the first chargesheet in the case on Wednesday.

The chargesheet running into 650 pages was filed before a session court and the SIT has mentioned 131 statements, including that of Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) officers and accused – K T Naveen Kumar and Praveen.

Other than Naveen Kumar, the SIT has arrested four more people in connection with the eight-month-old case.

Though, the SIT is still interrogating the four accused about the killing of Lankesh, Investigation Officer M N Anucheth said that they have confessed to issuing life threat letter to Mysuru-based rationalist writer Prof K S Bhagwan on September 9, 2015.

Also Read: Bengaluru: Four held for issuing threats to Prof Bhagwan

Based on the information provided by Naveen Kumar alias Hotte Manja, the first accused arrested in connection with the killing of Lankesh, the SIT arrested Sujith Kumar alias Praveen, a native of Shikaripura on May 20.

During the interrogation, Sujith named his associates Amul Kale, Amit Degwekar alias Pradeep Mahajan, both belonging to Maharashtra and Manohar Dundappa Yavade, a native of Vijayapura. Sujith revealed to police that his three associates were in Davangere from where they were arrested.

Meanwhile, the SIT produced the four accused before the 5th Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (ACMM) court and have taken their 10-day custody.

Gauri Lankesh, 55, was shot down with a 7.65 mm country made pistol in the driveway of her home in west Bengaluru on the evening of September 5, 2017.