Gauri’s case: Yuva Sena member held

The Special Investigation Team on Friday arrested K.T. Naveen Kumar alias Hotte Manja – a member of Hindu Yuva Sena, Maddur in the Gauri Lankesh murder case. Kumar was reportedly arrested on February 18 in the Arms Act case by the Central Crime Branch (CCB) in the Upparpet police station limits, when he was allegedly found selling contraband live cartridges at the KSRTC bus stand, Majestic. The SIT had taken him into police custody on March 2.

Confirming his arrest in Gauri murder case, DCP, West, M.N Anuchet, said, “Evidences collected so far confirm Kumar as an accused in the (Gauri) case but in the interest of protecting the witnesses and investigation we cannot at this point reveal his role. He has been arrested under Sections 302 (murder) and 120b (criminal conspiracy), 118 (concealing design to commit offence punishable with death or life imprisonment) and 35 (act done with the criminal intent and knowledge) of the IPC and Section 25 of the Arms Act. The SIT has taken him into custody for five days.”

Sources said, Kumar in one of his conversations with his friends had reportedly ‘boasted’ of planning to target rationalist and noted writer K.S. Bhagwan on the lines of Gauri.

The CCB, which had earlier arrested him, had recorded his statement in which Kumar has reportedly admitted that he was planning to target Bhagwan. The SIT took him into police custody and has interrogated him, but “so far they have not been able to link Kumar to Gauri's murder,” said a source on condition of anonymity.