SIT files chargesheet in Gauri Lankesh murder case

The SIT probing the murder of journalist Gauri Lankesh submitted 650-page chargesheet on Wednesday eight months after the murder. The SIT mentioned 131 statements of FSL officers and the two accused- KT Naveen and Praveen-in the chargesheet.

According to the chargesheet, Praveen, the second accused, conducted recce of Gauri's house and also shared details with shooters.

Hotte Manja alias KT Naveen and four others were involved in the murder of Gauri Lankesh. The assailants had stayed in Rajarajeshwarinagar for two days before executing the murder plan.

It is further reported that Praveen and Hotte Manja alias Naveen Kumar supplied weapons and planned exit routes.

Naveen, a right-wing leader from Maddur in Mandya district, was taken into custody by the Central Crime Branch sleuths on February 18 from the Kempegowda Bus stand.

It is suspected that Naveen provided logistics to the killer by conducting a recce around Lankesh's house on September 3 and 5 last year. Naveen had with him over 15 rounds of cartridges of .32 calibre. He was taken into custody for questioning and later a case was filed with the jurisdictional Upparpet police under Sections 3 and 25 of the Arms Act.

Gauri Lankesh was shot dead outside her residence here on September 5 last year. The murder had prompted an outpouring of tributes from her colleagues in the media.