Gauri 'killer' says he got orders from 3 key people

Arrests in senior journalist Gauri Lankesh murder case are not just over, according to a statement from Parashuram Waghmore, arrested by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) on Monday.

The SIT stated in a report submitted to the court on Thursday that there are three more key persons to be arrested in the case. The three were directly involved in the case and had also directed Waghmore to carry out the killing.

The SIT report submitted to the I Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate court stated that Waghmore gave a statement revealing more details about the three suspects. The SIT has collected details about the appearances of the three and has prepared six sketches with the help of an expert artist.

Suspects stayed in cop's house

According to the report submitted in the court, of the six suspects arrested so far, three — Amol Kale, Amit Degwekar and Manohar Dundappa Edave — were staying in two rented houses and had also taken a commercial shop on rent in the city. One of the houses was in Seegehalli Gate near Magadi Road, the shop in Kadabagere near Magadi Road and another house near Iskcon Temple near Yeshwantpur. They stayed at the Yeshwantpur house during their reconnaissance and moved to Magadi Road before executing the murder.

The house near Seegehalli Gate was called Policesappana Building, said to have been owned by a policeman.

After the mahajar, the police found hair samples inside the house at Sai Lakshmi Layout Kadabagere. The SIT suspects they belong to Kale and have sent them to the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) to confirm his stay in the house.

Kale banged head to wall after seeing Waghmore

SIT officials told the court that after Kale saw Waghmore on Wednesday around 11.30 pm, he (Kale) started shouting and banged his head on the pillar and doors, which caused scratch marks near his left eye.

SIT officials also stated that they are yet to track the weapon, bike and other vehicles used in the crime. SIT officials seized 22 mobile phones and a tab from arrested accused Praveen Kumar and 21 mobile phones from Kale, which they have sent to the FSL to get details about who they were in touch with since they haven't revealed much during the interrogation.

Officials told the court that they have sized a diary and other documents. Their diary contains many names, phone numbers and sketches, and they are examining them. Most of the details were in the form of codes, but the suspects have not revealed what they indicate, officials said.

Case snapshot Parashuram Waghmore, the suspected killer, said three more persons instructed him to kill senior journalist Gauri Lankesh The SIT has prepared six sketches following descriptions given by Waghmore Suspects were staying in three places in the city before killing Gauri SIT has sent hair samples of arrested suspect Amol Kale for DNA testing to match those found in one of the houses