The National Investigative Agency (NIA) has displayed a sketch of one the suspects in the murder of rationalist M M Kalburgi, which bears a striking resemblance to Rudra Patil from Sangli, a suspect in the bomb blasts at Margao in Goa in 2009.
This has led to speculation that Patil was in Dharwad on the day the rationalist's murdered.
Crime Investigation Department (CID) officials have now gone to Sangli to investigate and coordinate with the Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the Maharashtra Police probing the murders of Govind Pansare and Narendra Dabholkar. Some suspects involved in the Pansare's murder have been arrested.
Sources said, the NIA and the SIT in Maharashtra suspect the same organisation's hand behind Pansare, Dabholkar and Kalburgi's murder.
The State Crime Investigation Departmentteam, led by Superintendent of Police (SP) D C Rajappa, reached Sangli on Monday, and obtained the cooperation of the Belagavi District Police, said sources.
Another suspect arrested
The Special Investigation Team had arrested Samir Gaikwad from Sangli last week and is on a lookout for Rudra Patil, who is absconding since the Margao bomb blast. The National Investigative Agency has issued a red-corner notice with Interpol, too, in this regard.
Samir Gaikwad’s relatives Sushil Jadhav and Sridhar Jadhav, residents of Sankeshwar in Belagavi district's Hukkeri taluk, had been detained by the SIT for inquiry.
They were reportedly released, but haven’t returned to their home town. The Crime Investigation Department team is expected to interrogate Gaikwad and the Jadhav brothers in the Kalburgi murder case.
Published 22 September 2015, 18:56 IST