Gauri Lankesh case: One more in custody of special investigation team

Sources in the SIT said Sudhanwa Gondhalekar, who was arrested from Pune by the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad in August in connection with the seizure of a huge cache of explosives, was brought here Friday on transit remand.

The Special Investigation Team probing the killing of journalist-activist Gauri Lankesh has taken into custody one more person in connection with the case.

Gauri Lankesh, who was strongly opposed to Hindutva, was shot dead on September 5 last year by two motorcycle-borne assailants near her house here, triggering outrage. (Arijit Sen/HT Photo)

Sources in the SIT said Sudhanwa Gondhalekar, who was arrested from Pune by the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad in August in connection with the seizure of a huge cache of explosives, was broughtto Bengaluru Friday on transit remand.

He was produced in a local court which remanded him in police custody for 14 days. With this, 14 suspects have been arrested in the case.

A native of Satara, Gondhalekar has confessed to his role in the Lankesh killing, SIT sources said.

The Anti-Terrorism Squad of Maharashtra police had arrested three members of a suspected right-wing Hindutva outfit, including Gondhalekar, in August and seized a huge quantity of explosives, including crude bombs.

The ATS had said they would be questioned about all the cases in which the involvement of right-wing extremists was suspected, including the Narendra Dabholkar, Govind Pansare and (journalist) Gauri Lankesh killings.

Left-leaning Lankesh, who was strongly opposed to Hindutva, was shot dead on September 5 last year by two motorcycle-borne assailants near her house here, triggering outrage.