Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (SP)

Bengaluru, Jul 31: The special investigation team (SIT) appointed to crack the murder case of journalist Gauri Lankesh reportedly has reached the final stages of the investigation. It has now been searching frantically for the pistol used for killing Gauri, sources said.

The SIT, which believes that Parashuram Waghmare had killed Gauri, also has got information that he gave the pistol to someone else after this murder. Therefore, the team is trying to find out the whereabouts of the pistol. Towards this end, it has been searching for Nihal and another person, as it believes that if they are arrested, the pistol in question could be traced.

Gauri Lankesh

SIT has got information that Suresh from Kunigal was the one who gave names of four progressive thinkers from the state who need to be eliminated, to Amol Kale. SIT therefore has approached the court in an effort to take Suresh into custody again. Suresh had been asked by a team of Amol Kale to put together a list of rationalists from Karnataka for being murdered, it is said. Suresh had provided a list of five names including that of Gauri Lankesh, and had handed over a slip containing names, addresses of their homes and office etc to Kale at KSRTC bus stand Mangaluru, SIT sources say.

After the murder of Gauri, Suresh tried to destroy the evidence. He had hired a shopping stall owned by an acquaintance named Gangayya for storing the items used for the murder, it is said. The SIT also suspects that Suresh had provided the motor bike to killers of Gauri. At the same time, it is said that SIT has served notices to Yathish Mogra from Kollamogra, Yatin Ambekallu, and Kumudaksha Jalumane, all of whom are said to be close the accused, Mohan Naik from Sampaje, Sullia, who has been arrested.