‘Gauri murder was planned for 5 yrs’: SIT files additional chargesheet against 18 accused

News Network
November 24, 2018

Bengaluru, Nov 24: The Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the murder of journalist-activist Gauri Lankesh has submitted an additional chargesheet against 18 accused in a special court naming Sanatan Sanstha behind the killing.

Special Public Prosecutor in the case S Balan said that a crime syndicate under the Sanatan Sanstha was behind the murder and all the accused arrested in the case were members of this organisation. Gauri Lankesh was shot dead in front of her house in Rajarajeshwari Nagar on September 5, 2017. He said the probe revealed that the accused were planning to eliminate Gauri Lankesh for five years.

Four policemen carried a metal trunk containing the 9,235-page charge sheet to the special court for Karnataka Control of Organised Crime Act (KCOCA) on Friday, November 23, evening and submitted it before principal city civil and sessions court Judge Shivashankar B Amarannavar.

"We have also sought permission for further investigation," MN Anuchet, chief investigating officer, SIT, said.

The first chargesheet in the case was filed in May this year. Maddur-based gun-runner KT Naveen Kumar was the only accused named in it.

The second chargesheet contains details of 18 other accused, including those arrested from Maharashtra. It explains how all 18 accused came together with the intention to kill Gauri Lankesh, hatched the plot and finally executed it.

Of 19 accused in the case, 18 have been arrested. The only accused at large is Nihal alias Dada. The chargesheet copy draws from mobile call detail records of prime suspects like Amol Kale and Sudhanva Gondelkar, Pune residents who played a crucial role in the killing. It contains confessions of the accused, SIT sources said.

Sources added, "Confessions of alleged shooter Parashuram Waghmore, alleged trainer Rajesh D Bangera and Belagavi businessman Bharat Kurne, who sheltered the accused, are comparatively large and run into over 30 pages each," they said, adding "The confessions of the accused run into more than 500 pages."

The chargesheet also explained the larger conspiracy was to strategically eliminate 43 other liberals and rationalists in Karnataka, Goa and Maharashtra, some of whom survived murder attempts.

The SIT observed that the accused allegedly had links with a Goa-based right-wing organisation. “Maharashtrabased men like Amol Kale and Amit Digwekar had a strong relationship with the organisation,” the chargesheet said.

302 (murder), 118 (concealing design to commit offence,) 120B (criminal conspiracy) and 35 (whenever an act, which is criminal only by reason of it being done with a criminal knowledge or intention). The SIT filed the first chargesheet on May 29. The 650-page chargesheet named KT Naveen Kumar of Maddur as the accused who had ample knowledge of the killing. The SIT alleged that Gauri was shot dead due to her strong anti-Hindutva views.

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abdullah
 - 
Saturday, 24 Nov 2018

Why dont government ban these Terrorist outfits???

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News Network
February 7,2020

Mangaluru, Feb 7: To stop the NRC and CAA from being implemented everyone has to fight unitedly highlighting the failures of the ruling party, said National President of Priyadarshini squad, All India National Women’s Congress Kavya Narasimha Murthy.

Addressing the workshop for the protection of Citizenship against CAA, NRC and NPR for the party workers at the Cordel Hall, Kulshekar here Thursday by district Congress party, she said, “Protests are being held everywhere against the CAA, NRC and NPR but if we only go on protesting, the ruling party will implementing divisive policies and new laws every day.

Many think that they may not be affected by the CAA, NRC or NPR and keep away from protesting against it. The congress should fight against the CAA concentrating on three approaches. We cannot fight against divisive politics by fighting only against the CAA and NRC. We need to expose the government’s failures, their divisive politics and continue our protests against the CAA, NCR and NPR.”

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coastaldigest.com news network
January 6,2020

She is one of a few beauty queens who give equal importance to both modelling and academic growth. Within months after completing her MBA in Finance and HR, Shifali Saldanha won Miss India Continent 2019 first runner-up and Miss Glory of International 2019 held in Mumbai.

An alumna of St Aloysius College (AIMIT), this 23-year-old Mangalurean is now a much sought after budding model. “I am enjoying the moment and would like to go with the flow,” says the much-loved daughter of Stephen Saldanha and late Anupama Saldanha.

Over the course of past two years, Ms Saldanha has experienced various nerve-wracking moments. She was shattered when her beloved mother lost battle with cancer and bid adieu to the world a couple of years ago. Yet, she serenely braved all the challenges. Her ‘never give up’ attitude helped her to scale new heights amidst misfortunes and pains.

Speaking to coastaldigest.com about her success in Miss India Continent 2019, which was organised by Dr Mahesh Yadav of Aman Gandhi Film Productions, Ms Saldanha said 15 contestants from different parts of the country were shortlisted for the finale, which had five diverse rounds. 

“The meet and greet session was my favourite phase in the competition as it was an opportunity to interact with the participants from different parts of the country,” recalls the multi-talented, who dreams big. 

The leggy lass’ success wasn’t accidental one. A trained singer and multilingual anchor, Ms Saldanha was already a known figure in coastal Karnataka. She had won the titles Miss Karnataka International- Multimedia 2018, and Miss Beautiful Eyes Mangaluru 2018.

Being a moderate feminist, who carries a go-getter attitude, Ms Saldanha calls upon every woman to be optimistic, challenging and goal-focused.

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News Network
January 23,2020

Bengaluru, Jan 23: An alleged low-intensity blast on Wednesday late evening in Shanthinagar left three-time Congress MLA NA Harris and six others with burn injuries. The blast reported at around 8:30 pm during a cultural programme gripped the central parts of Bengaluru in a panic especially after the incident of police recovering a live bomb in Mangaluru airport. 

According to sources in Shanthinagar, MLA Harris was attending the birthday celebrations of MGR organized by the locals close to his residence in Shanthinagar. Following the blast, Harris and a few others who standing close to the MLA sustained burn injuries and rushed to the nearby Philomena Hospital immediately and police officials from both the Ashok Nagar and Vivek Nagar visited the spot. The police officials are yet to confirm whether it was a bomb blast or due to the bursting of loud and powerful crackers. 

Chethan Singh Rathore, DCP (Central) visited the hospital and the blast site. A team of forensic science lab experts have also been summoned to the spot to collect samples for ascertaining the nature of the blast. MLA Harris’s son Mohammed Nalapad who rushed to the hospital along with supporters told media persons that they are completely shocked by the incident. 

“He was sitting on a chair and suddenly something that was hurled at him exploded beneath the chair. He sustained injuries to his leg and brought to the hospital. He is being treated by a team of doctors and other injured supporters are also being attended to by the doctors,” Nalapad said. 

Expressing shock over the incident, he said, “My father has been an MLA for 12-years and nothing of this sort had happened before in the constituency. We have no rivals and my father never had any gunmen. We are all shocked and have complained to the jurisdictional police.” 

Meantime, Dr Shankar Prasad, Medical Director, St Philomena’s Hospital explained that Harris and others are currently being treated for minor injuries. “None of them have any open cut injuries and they are being examined further,” Dr Prasad told DH. 

According to Dr Prasad, Harris had a minor blood clot in his left leg which was possibly due to a hard object hitting him during the blast. “We have taken X-Ray and examining further. At the look of it, it seems like a very minor injury,” he added. 

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