Belagavi man detained in Gauri murder case

The Special Investigation Team (SIT), probing the murder of journalist-activist Gauri Lankesh, has detained a man from Ganeshpur on the outskirts of the city on Wednesday for his alleged links with the accused arrested in the case.

Sources said, SIT detained Sagar Lakhe over his links with Bharat Kurne, who was arrested from Mahadwar Road in the city on August 8 in the Gauri murder case. Sagar was in constant touch with Bharat, a hotelier, over the phone after the murder.

Based on the information provided by Bharat, the SIT sleuths have detained Sagar.

SIT sources also hinted that they could make Sagar Lakhe an important witness in the case rather than making him accused as enquiries, so far, had revealed he was the one who drove the accused, picking and dropping them to places for practice sessions in Hubballi and Belagavi.

Sagar is being grilled to ascertain whether he knew about the conspiracy or he was just doing a job of picking and dropping the accused, SIT sources added.

Meanwhile, Gayatri Kurne, wife of Bharat Jayant Kurne arrested by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) in Gauri Lankesh murder case, has
alleged that the SIT had fixed him in the case since he was a Hindu.

Addressing a press meet in Belagavi on Thursday, Gayatri said that Bharat was not been associated with any right wing organisations.