Naveen knows Gauri killer, but not revealing name, suspects SIT

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Bengaluru March 11, 2018 (PTI): The SIT is contemplating to take K T Naveen Kumar, accused in the Gauri Lankesh murder case, to Kodaikanal in Tamil Nadu, Belagavi and Goa to identify people he was in touch with.

The SIT sought Kumar’s police custody for five more days on Friday, after telling the court that he was an accused in Gauri’s murder. Kumar had managed to obtain bail for the Arms Act case that he was booked for, by the CCB at the Upparpet police station the same day, sources said.

The SIT is also planning to take Kumar to several other places in Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra and north Karnataka, where they suspect Kumar had contacts while he was affiliated with the Hindu Yuva Sene. The SIT officials have taken the court’s approval for the same.

Interrogation so far reveals that he has information about Gauri’s murder, but he is trying to protect someone by not naming the person. Though he has admitted that he was in touch with a few persons involved in Gauri’s murder, he feigns ignorance about their identities, SIT sources said. He used to organise religious congregations at several places, which a good number of youths from across the country would attend, they said.

SIT sleuths claimed that they are in possession of a phone call record in which a man is heard talking to his friend over phone regarding a conspiracy to eliminate writer K S Bhagawan. The sleuths are planning to seek the court’s permission to perform a voice test on Kumar at the forensic laboratory. The sleuths plan to frame charges of criminal conspiracy pertaining to the attempt to murder Bhagawan, sources added.