The Special Investigation Team (SIT) has taken into custody Sharad Kalaskar, who is suspected to have shot down rationalist Narendra Dabholkar in Pune on August 20, 2013. The SIT believes he played a role in the assassination of journalist Gauri Lankesh, too.
Kalaskar was arrested last month by Maharashtra's Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) along with Vaibhav Raut and Sudhanva Gondhlekar following the seizure of arms and ammunition.
The SIT obtained Kalaskar's body warrant from a Pune sessions court and produced him before a special court in Bengaluru on Thursday. The SIT told the court that its investigation showed that Kalaskar played a major role in Gauri's murder by providing the gun used to kill her. He kept the gun after the murder. The SIT sought to interrogate him for 20 days.
The special court remanded Kalaskar in the SIT's custody for 20 days, and extended the custody of Sudhanva Gondhalekar for 10 days following another request.
