Three arrested for Gauri Lankesh murder case released

Mandya: Three men from Mandya region, who were captured by the Special Investigation Team regarding the murder of journalist Gauri Lankesh, have been released as of late.

The captured were Girish of Hemmanahalli in Maddur taluk, Abhilash of Kestur and Anil Kumar of Srirangapatna. The police had captured them, connecting them to be assistants with K T Naveen Kumar, a suspect for the crime.

Addressing the media, Girish stated, “The police disclosed to us that Naveen Kumar was captured while selling bullets near Majestic in Bengaluru on February 18. In any case, Naveen revealed to us that he was captured on February 14, when he was at his wife’s place in Birur. In light of the data given by Naveen, the police captured Anil Kumar on February 14 and Abhilash and me on February 15”.

“The police took us to a unidentified place, in the wake of blindfolding us. We found that we were at a hotel, where Naveen was also present. They thrashed Naveen and requesting that we admit to the judge that Naveen gave us some training in Gauri Lankesh’s murder case. When we declined, we were also beaten up. When we were presented in front of the judge, we didn’t state anything as constrained by the police and began crying. The judge, who was furious with the police, demanded our release,” he said.

“The police filed a case of moving in a suspicious way in Jnanabharathi police headquarters limits (in Bengaluru) and released us. They are trying to frame Naveen in Gauri Lankesh case. Because we had addressed Naveen over cellphone, they are attempting to make us witnesses against him. I have chosen to compose a letter in such manner to the judge as we are confronting a life threat,” Girish said.

Superintendent of Police G Radhika stated, “I have no information on the arrest of four suspects from the district in connection with Gauri Lankesh murder case”.