Gauri Lankesh case: Sanathan Sanstha Members killed journalist Gauri Lankesh, planning took 5 years says SIT; files chargesheet
The special investigation team (SIT) probing the murder case of journalist-activist Gauri Lankesh has filed a charge sheet against the Hindu right-wing outfit Sanatan Sanstha before a city court. The investigative team also reveal the conspiracy to kill Lankesh took place 5 years ago.
The SIT submitted the 9,235-page charge sheet in the Principal Civil and Sessions court here Friday. The SIT stated that a network within Sanatan Sanstha targeted Lankesh for no personal reasons.
In a conversation to PTI, Special Public Prosecutor S Balan said: "The killer and the killed have no personal or any other enmity. Why she was killed? Because she believed in a certain ideology, she wrote and spoke on that. So, it must be an ideology and it must be an organisation."
Also, the SIT has also sought permission to investigate the case further. The first charge sheet in the sensational case was filed in May last.
The 55-year-old Lankesh, known for the left-leaning and strong anti-Hindutva views was shot dead in front of her residence Bengaluru on September 5 last year, that triggered nationwide outrage.
Soon after the then, the Siddaramaiah-led government constituted the SIT to probe into the killing.
So far, 18 people have been accused in the crime, including shooter Parashuram Waghmare, masterminds Amol Kale, Sujith Kumar alias Praveen and Amit Degwekar, SIT sources told PTI.
First published: 24 November 2018, 13:47 IST