Bengaluru: The Special Investigation Team (SIT) on March 9 arrested alleged gunrunner K T Naveen Kumar who was in its custody for his suspected involvement in the murder of journalist Gauri Lankesh, a top SIT official said.
“He (Naveen Kumar) has been arrested. He is an accused,” said M N Anucheth, investigating officer in the case.
Suspected to be linked with a fringe right-wing radical group, Kumar, in his 30s, was arrested on February 19 on charges of illegally possessing five bullets.
A case under the Arms Act was then registered against him and he was remanded to judicial custody by a court.
Subsequently after interrogation, he was taken into custody by SIT for suspected links in the Gauri murder case.
The arrest comes two days after Karnataka Home Minister Ramalinga Reddy said the SIT would soon clear the air whether the police have picked up the right person in the case.
Kumar’s family has maintained that he was innocent and in no way connected to the case. The state government, which constituted the SIT headed by Inspector General of Police (Intelligence) B K Singh, had announced Rs 10 lakh reward for anyone giving clues about the perpetrators of the crime.
Gauri Lankesh (55), who was known as an anti-establishment voice with strident anti-right wing views, was shot dead at close range by unidentified assailants at her home here on September 5 last year.
