Plot to kill SK Bhagavan: Four accused handed over to SIT
Bengaluru, May 31: Four accused who were arrested on charges of hatching a plot to kill critic, writer and rationalist SK Bhagawan were handed over to the SIT which has been investigating the journalist Gauri Lankesh murder case, for ten days.
Sujith Kumar alias Praveen (37) of Kappanahalli in Shikaripur taluk, Amol Kale and Amith alias Pradeep (38) of Maharashtra, and Manohar Dundappa Yadave alias Manoj (29) of Rathnapur village in Vijayapura were taken into the custody and interrogating.
Upparpet police who produced the accused before the First ACMM Court in the city on Wednesday requested the court to handover them to the police custody for 13 more days to interrogate them in Gauri Lankesh murder case. Later, the judge handed them over to the SIT for ten days.
About the case
In the beginning of the investigation of Gauri murder case, the police have listened to the mobile call records of some organisations’ leaders on suspicion. In that, Naveen and Sujith have conversed about killing SK Bhagavan. Suddenly, the police have taken Naveen into custody in Birur in Chikmagalur district. Later, Sujith who was absconding was arrested in Mangaluru recently. The police have recovered two black colour bags, four mobile batteries, Bengaluru map, four mobile phones, mobile number diary, photos of Shiva-Parvati and Krishna-Rukmini and Rs 22,931 cash from the accused.
Naveen Kumar has formed an organization in the name of Hindu Yuva Sene and participated in a meeting in Goa in June 2017. He made a provocative speech on that day that those who are against the religion should be shot. Sujith who was present at the meeting has introduced himself to Naveen.
Sujith who has studied up to SSLC, is a son of farmer couple. But has more attachment towards Hindutva. He left his home in 2001 and developed friendship with other accused. It is said that Naveen, Sujith, Amith, Amol, Manohar Dundappa Yadave and Nihal have met at a forest near Gundal reservoir in Chamarajanagar district in November 2017.
A SIT officer said that four accused were taken into custody with a hope of getting some information on Gauri Lankesh murder. Investigation would be intensified, he added.
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Temple priest, aide among three arrested for journalist's murder in Uttar Pradesh's Sitapur
Sitapur (UP) (PTI): Police recently arrested three men, including a temple priest, in connection with the murder of a journalist, who was shot dead on the Sitapur-Delhi National Highway on March 8, officials said.
Two shooters who carried out the attack on Raghavendra Bajpai -- a resident of Maholi who worked with a Hindi daily -- remain at large and efforts are underway to arrest them, they added.
Sitapur SP Chakraesh Mishra had formed three teams to investigate the case, which questioned more than 100 suspects and scanned around 250 CCTV camera feeds, leading to the arrests.
"The probe revealed the involvement of Shivananda Baba alias Vikas Rathore, a priest at the Karedev Baba temple in Maholi. CCTV camera footage showed two men loitering around the temple suspiciously near Bajpai's residence around the time of the incident. After further probe, police arrested Shivananda Baba, his close aide Nirmal Singh, and Aslam Ghazi," the SP said.
"Their interrogation revealed that Bajpai reportedly saw Shivananda in a compromising position within the temple, which could have severely damaged the latter's reputation.
"Shivananda narrated the incident to Nirmal Singh, who, with the help of Aslam Ghazi, orchestrated a contract killing to eliminate Bajpai. Two shooters were hired for the job," the officer said.
Three teams from the Crime Branch and seven teams from the Special Task Force (STF) are currently conducting raids to nab the shooters.
A reward of Rs 25,000 each has been announced for information leading to the duo's arrest, the SP said.
