By Express News Service
BENGALURU:While agencies like the Criminal Investigation Department, Central Bureau of Investigation and the Maharashtra Special Investigation Team (SIT) are waiting to get custody of the accused in the Gauri Lankesh murder case, in connection with the murder cases they are probing, it is learnt that advocates representing the accused have decided not to apply for bail till these agencies complete the questioning of the accused.
The CBI is probing the murder of rationalist Narendra Dabholkar, while the Maharashtra SIT is investigating Govind Pansare’s murder. Researcher and scholar Dr M M Kalburgi’s murder is being probed by the Karnataka CID.
Sources in the Karnataka SIT said they had learnt that the counsels of the accused are in a ‘wait and watch’ mode, as other agencies were also keen to take the accused into their custody and question them. “If they apply for bail and the court remands the accused in police custody again, there would be a delay in the legal process. We learnt that they have decided to apply for bail only after these agencies complete their investigation and once the accused are back in judicial custody,” an official said.
One of the advocates representing the accused also confirmed the decision of the advocates. “The SIT officials have informally told us about other agencies taking the accused into custody. If no agencies come forward to take them into custody before June 27, the day their judicial custody ends, we would move the bail application,” an advocate said.
Naveen’s Bail Hearing Tomorrow
Hearing of accused KT Naveen Kumar’s bail application was adjourned till Thursday by the 70th City Civil and Sessions Court. When the case came up for hearing on Monday, the public prosecutor requested time to file objections against granting the bail. The court considered the request and adjourned the hearing till Thursday. Advocate A Vedamurthy, representing the accused, had submitted to the court that the SIT had booked his client as accused in Gauri Lankesh case without any evidence.
