'3 accused in Gauri case involved in Kalburgi murder'

The CID is said to have almost completed the investigation into the killing of rationalist M M Kalburgi with the help of the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing journalist Gauri Lankesh murder case.

The SIT has arrested 12 men in connection with the journalist’s murder in Bengaluru and a few of them are said to be involved in the Kalburgi murder case.

A senior officer from CID said that they have completed nearly 80% of the investigation with the help of SIT, which also includes CID officials. The probe team just has to connect the missing links in Kalburgi case. He said that based on the SIT report, permission was taken from the jurisdictional court in Hubballi to interrogate those arrested in Gauri case.

The CID has taken permission to interrogate Amol Kale, the mastermind in Gauri murder case, a mechanical engineer from Pune, Sujeet Kumar from Shikaripura in Shivamogga district, Amit Degwekar, of Panda in Goa, Manohar Edave, a businessman from Vijayapura, Ganesh Miskin, of Hubballi and Amit Baddi of Hubbali.

He said the sleuths are interrogating the six of the 12 accused in Gauri case, from August 27 and had collected many leads into the Kalburgi killing. Out the six accused, role of in three in Kalburgi murder has been established.