Gauri murder: SIT few steps away from arresting culprits, says Reddy

Karnataka Home Minister Ramalinga Reddy on Saturday said the Special Investigation Team (SIT) formed to crack the killing of journalist and activist Gauri Lankesh will solve the case soon.

While he did not give any specific time frame for the arrests of culprits while speaking to media persons in Hubballi on Saturday, he said the SIT formed specially for the case is a short distance away from solving the case. “I don’t know about the other murder cases, but one thing I can assure is the killers of Gauri will be soon arrested,” he said and added such murder cases can not be solved keeping time frame. “Even the Central Bureau of Investigation which is looking into the killing of rationalists Narendra Dabholkar and Govind Pansare have not solved it even after 10 years,” he said.

Refuting the claims made in some sections of media about the involvement of five members of Sanatan Sanstha, he said the SIT is looking at the case from all angles. “Neither SIT officials nor his ministry has given any details regarding the persons involved in the case. I can’t respond to what media houses write or broadcast,” he said.

Responding to a question on illegal sale of country-made pistols from Vijaypur route that are said to be used in the killing of Gauri and rationalist M M Kalburagi, Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order) Alok Mohan said a special team has been formed to trace the guns and already few cases have been booked in this regard. “We may not be able to reveal all the investigation details to media now,” he said