Bengaluru: The special investigation team (SIT) has arrested a key suspect in connection with the murder of journalist Gauri Lankesh.
SIT Chief Investigation Officer DCP M N Anucheth said that Rushikesh Devdikar alias Murali (44) was arrested on Thursday evening from Katras of Dhanbad district in Jharkhand.
“Murali house is being searched for clues. He will be produced before the jurisdictional judicial magistrate on Friday. He was primarily involved in the conspiracy,” he added.
He was primarily involved in the conspiracy to murder Lankesh. Originally from Aurangabad in Maharashtra, Devdikar was hiding in a house in Katras.
Gauri Lankesh was shot dead at the doorstep of her residence in Ideal Homes Layout in Rajarajeshwari Nagar in the night of September 5, 2017.
The SIT constituted to probe the case had arrested 16 people till now and had submitted a charge sheet to the court against 18 people, including two absconding persons - accused no. 17 Vikas Patil alias Dada alias Nihal and accused no. 18 Rushikesh Devdikar alias Murali alias Shiva.
According to the charge sheet, the murder was committed by an organised crime syndicate headed by Amol Kale and its top members were Amit Degvekar, Vikas Patil and Devdikar.
Among the accused persons charge-sheeted, Vikas Patil is still at large.
