The total number of arrests made in connection with the murder of journalist Gauri Lankesh has gone up to 10, with three more people nabbed over the last few days.
While two men — Amit Raghavendra Baddi and Ganesh Miski — were arrested from Hubballi, Rajesh D Bangera was arrested from Madikeri.
Baddi and Miski were arrested on Sunday by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the case. After the arrest, they were produced before a metropolitan court, which remanded them in SIT custody till August 6 for further investigation. They have been charged with murder and offences under the Arms Act.
Fifty-year-old Rajesh D Bangera was arrested from Madikeri, the police said on Tuesday. He too has been sent to police custody till August 6.
Lankesh (55) was shot dead outside her Bengaluru home in September 2017. Lankesh, a Left-leaning journalist-activist, was said to have raised the hackles of the Hindu right with her strong views against hardline Hindutva.
According to police sources, Baddi and Miski had helped in doing a recce of the area before Lankesh was shot dead on September 5 last year.
Baddi is said to be a goldsmith, while Miski was into incense stick manufacturing business.
Ten suspects have been arrested in the case so far. Besides the three arrested since Sunday, another suspect was arrested on Friday.
“A person identified as Mohan Nayak, 50, was arrested from Dakshin Kannada district of Karnataka,” SIT investigating officer M N Ancheth had said.
The sixth person arrested by the SIT was 26-year-old Parashuram Waghmare from Sindhagi in Vijaypura district of the state. He was held in June. Waghmare was said to have links with right wing groups.
The SIT previously arrested five people – K T Naveen Kumar alias Hotte Manja, Amol Kale, Manohar Edve, Sujeeth Kumar alias Praveen and Amit Degvekar.
(With agency inputs)