Kalburgi, Gauri murder cases will be taken to their logical end: K'taka HM

Bengaluru: Karnataka Home Minister MB Patil Wednesday said the state police have worked efficiently in the murder cases of noted rationalist M MKalburgi and journalist Gauri Lankesh and would take bothcases to their logical end.

Patil, who took over as home minister after the recent ministry reshuffle, said that he did not wish to go into the details concerning both cases, stating that he was yet to gather inputs on them.

"Gauri Lankesh case, we can say proudly that our SIT (Special Investigation Team) has worked efficiently and made a breakthrough.

There are instances where even the CBI has not got any breakthrough insuch cases even after four, four-and-half years...They (SIT)have already filed a charge sheet. It (probe) is almost in the finalstages," Patil said.

In the Kalburgi case, the CID has made good progress, he said, adding "we are satisfied with SIT and CID...the department has worked efficiently and will take boththese cases to their logical end."

The Supreme Court had on December 11 last year favoured a CBI probe into the murders of Kalburgi, social activist Govind Pansare (in Maharashtra) and journalist Gauri Lankesh if there is a "common thread" in these incidents which occurred over the last five years.

The top court had asked the CBI to inform it by the first week of January whether it would like to investigate these three murder cases as it was already probing the murder of socialactivist Narendra Dabholkar in Maharashtra.

Karnataka police in its status report had told the top court that there appears to be an "intimate connection" between the murders of Kalburgi in 2015 and Gauri Lankesh in 2017.

Gauri Lankesh, known for her strident anti-Hindutva views, was shot dead in front of her house here on September 5, 2017.

The SIT has so far arrested 16 people for their alleged involvement in the killing, while two others are still at large.

Patil, who was briefed by home department officials, said the overall law and order situation and various issues regarding the department were discussed, as also strengthening of the police force and certain modifications to be made at the government level.