JOIN USBaliga's murder: activist, kin not happy with ongoing probe
Adding to the increasing cases of people finding gaping holes in police probe in general, a group of activists, led by rationalist Narendra Nayak, has expressed dissatisfaction over the ongoing probe into the murder of Right to Information (RTI) activist Vinayak Baliga.
Baliga was hacked to death in the city on March 21. Addressing mediapersons here on Thursday, Nayak complimented Police Commissioner M Chandra Sekhar for nabbing the prime accused in the case - Naresh Shenoy and his accomplice Manju.
However, he said, “We do not have faith in local police as the pace and the scope of further investigaion is still perfunctory and narrow respectively. It would be better to form a special task force to probe the case. Or else, a legal battle will be waged against police, by moving High Court.”
Nayak charged that it was not the case of what meets the eye. Shenoy was just one of the several forces that were at play in eliminating Baliga. Still, the investigators have not made any more arrests and the scope of investigation is restricted to murder, he claimed.
Amid this, two letters written by Baliga, that could have served as incriminating evidence throwing light on the involvement of many others behind his murder later, find no mention in the investigation so far. A police team, led by Inspector Valentine D’Souza, had confiscated the letters from Baliga’s house after his death, said Nayak endorsed by Baliga’s sister Harsha Baliga who was also present during media briefing.
It shows again, a systematic effort on the part of investigators to destroy the evidence, he charged. On the scope of investigation, Nayak said the investigators are yet to probe into several ‘irregularities’ unearthed by Baliga.
Baliga had opposed certain activities at Venkataramana Temple and Kashi Mutt. He had demanded for depositing ‘ratha kanike’ (offerings) made by the devotees during a temple festival, in a bank, after counting it in public. The amount could be transferred to temple (account) through cheque later, as mentioned in a letter written by Baliga to temple authorities.
In addition to this, he wanted temple accounts to be re-audited and one Nithin Shetty, an auditor had also agreed to it. He had also opposed a convention planned by Sudha Trust in the month of April. In a group discussion in March, he had raised some questions about appointing Samyameendra as the pontiff of Kashi Mutt after its incumbent Sudhindra Theertha, against Raghavendra (whom Baliga favoured) for the latter having ‘Saligrama’ (a sacred stone) in his possession. This may also have prompted Baliga’s opponents to target him, Nayak said.
Five months passed since Baliga’s murder, but the police are buying time on filing additional charge sheet. A preliminary charge sheet has been already submitted to the court, Nayak said.
‘Reopen murder case’
Overall, Baliga wanted to reopen the murder case of Nagesh Prabhu (Bunder police station, case number 210/2012) who was reportedly murdered by Nandakumar Prabhu (who was acquitted by the court later), in the intervening night of 2012-13. Of the total 13 witnesses in the case, 12 had turned hostile. Interestingly, when Prabhu was acquitted, it was Shenoy (prime accused in Baliga’s case) who turned guarantor executing a surety for former. Needless to say, it may be yet another reason, suffice for the ulterior forces to plot against Baliga.
To a particular question, Nayak said, ‘The case should be reopened, if the law permits, as the accused has been already acquitted’.