Gauri case: SIT names accessories, but maintains silence on killer

K T Naveen Kumar and Sujith Kumar alias Praveen, belonging to Hindu extremist organisations, had supplied firearms to the man who shot dead journalist Gauri Lankesh just outside her home on September 5, 2017, the Special Investigation Team’s charge sheet says.

The duo, along with three others, has been named in the sensational case. The charge sheet was filed in the 1st ACMM court on May 30. Barring Naveen, all others are also accused of plotting to kill writer and rationalist, K S Bhagawan.

Strangely, the charge sheet is silent on the shooter himself.

Naveen, from Kadaluru in Maddur taluk, Mandya district, was arrested on March 2 by the Rajarajeshwari Nagar police in Bengaluru. Praveen was arrested on May 6 for plotting to kill Bhagawan. The three others — Amol Kale alias Bhaisaab from Maharashtra, Amit Degwekar alias Pradeep (38), and Manohar Dundappa Yadave alias Manoj (29), both from Ratnapura village in Vijayapura district — were also arrested in the Bhagawan case.

The Gauri murder charge sheet, a copy of which is with Deccan Herald, states that Naveen and Praveen had discussed the plot in a BBMP park in Vijayanagar, West Bengaluru.

According to the SIT, three key witnesses had established the role played by the duo. The SIT also claims to have digital evidence — mainly mobile phone conversations of Naveen — before and after Gauri’s murder.

“Both the accused had supplied firearms to kill Gauri and also helped in many other ways in the plot to kill Gauri. The duo put pressure on the killers that Gauri should be killed at any cost and both were part of the killing (sic),” the charge sheet states.

Naveen, an illegal gunrunner, used to purchase firearms from Syed Shabbir, the owner of City Gun Services, a firearms dealership.

In a statement to the SIT, Shabbir said he had supplied 18 rounds of ammunition to Naveen around seven years ago, besides selling him two airguns for Rs 3,500. Naveen visited him a week later and asked him to sell a pistol. But he refused to do so as Naveen did not have an arms licence.