SIT looks for bike that ferried killers to Gauri's home

The Gauri Lankesh murder case may have seen nine arrests but the Special Investigation Team (SIT) still has its work cut out: recovering the crucial pieces of evidence to present a watertight case in court.

SIT officials are now focusing their energies on gathering evidence to make sure none of the nine suspects is acquitted by the court. The investigation shows that the suspects destroyed the most crucial evidence — the 7.65 mm pistol used to kill Gauri — following media reports about the police conclusion that the same weapon was used to assassinate Kannada researcher M M Kalburgi earlier. The SIT hasn't been able to retrieve the two-wheeler used to ferry Gauri's alleged killer, Parashuram Waghmore, and his accomplice, Ganesh Miskin, to their victim's house on the fateful evening of September 5, 2017.

SIT sleuths are taking the suspects to the places where they reportedly destroyed the evidence and conduct a mahazar.

Miskin and another suspect, Amit Baddi, both from Hubballi, were remanded in police custody by a Bengaluru court on Monday. Both of them were on the ground to execute the killing. A motorcycle and two cars were used.

While Waghmore and Miskin rode the motorcycle, Baddi waited in a van. Nihal alias Dada, another suspect who's remained elusive, was in another car. All the four had stayed at in a house Kumbalgodu (about 15 km away from Gauri's home). The house was rented by Mohan Naik who was arrested last Friday. SIT officials said they arrested Miskin and Baddi on the basis of the physical description provided by Waghmore.

The SIT is set to arrest a few people who allegedly provided logistics support to the main players, said sources.

Meanwhile, H D Kumaraswamy, Chief Minister said: "The investigation into Gauri's murder has been carried out successfully. Soon, the big network behind this will be exposed. We have to just wait."

Another arrest in Gauri case The Special Investigation Team has arrested a 50-year-old man from Madikeri in connection with senior journalist Gauri Lankesh murder case on Monday. The accused, identified as Rajesh D Bangera, was produced before the III ACCM. Magistrate V Prakash remanded him to SIT custody till August 6 following the request by the SIT officials for further interrogation. Meanwhile, the police custody of Mohan Naik was completed on Tuesday. He was produced before the court and was remanded in judicial custody for 14 days.