Lankesh’s Kin Moves SC Against Joint Probe With Rationalists’ Case

SC had favoured a CBI probe into murders of Kalburgi, Pansare and Lankesh if there appeared to be a “common thread”.

(Photo: Aroop Mishra/ The Quint)

Journalist Gauri Lankesh’s sister approached the Supreme Court on Friday, 25 January, against suggestions to club the investigation into her murder with that of writer MM Kalburgi, and rationalists Narendra Dabholkar and Govind Pansare, and to transfer it to the CBI.

As per a report in The Indian Express, Kavitha Lankesh told a bench comprising Justices RF Nariman and Vineet Sharan that the SIT probe into Lankesh’s murder was at an “advanced stage” and “if at this… stage…any change is made or the investigation is shifted to any other agency, the entire process would be derailed”.

On 11 December 2018, the apex court had favoured a CBI probe into the murders of Kalburgi, Pansare and Lankesh if there appeared a “common thread” in these incidents.

The murders of all three activists occurred over the last five years.

Lankesh, Kalburgi Murders Connected?

Responding to a plea seeking a CBI probe into the Kalburgi’s murder, the SC on Friday had termed it a "very serious case" and said that it would hear the matter in detail on 26 February

“This is a very serious case. We would like to hear the matter in detail. Meanwhile pleadings to be completed. List the matter on 26 February,” the bench had said.

The top court had also asked the CBI to inform it by January first week whether it would like to investigate these three murder cases as it is already probing the murder of social activist Narendra Dabholkar.

The CBI had filed its response in a sealed cover.

The Karnataka police, in its status report, had told the top court that there appears to be an "intimate connection" between the murders of Kalburgi in 2015 and Gauri Lankesh in 2017.

The court had observed that one probe agency should investigate all the four cases, if prima facie it appears that there is a “common thread” in the murders.

The Karnataka government had also said that the Kalburgi case has some intimate connections with the Gauri Lankesh murder case and key conspirators were identified and certain recoveries have also been made.

The Karnataka government had also said that the Kalburgi case has some intimate connections with the Gauri Lankesh murder case and key conspirators were identified and certain recoveries have also been made.

(With inputs from PTI, The Indian Express )