Pune / agencies
CBI told a local court here on Sunday that Murders of journalist Gauri Lankesh in Bengaluru last year and rationalist Narendra Dabholkar in Pune in 2013 were linked.
Seeking extension of the custody of Sachin Andure, one of the alleged shooters in the Dabholkar case, CBI told the court that one of the accused in the Gauri killing had handed over a pistol and three bullets with a magazine to Andure.
CBI said it is investigating if the pistol had been used to kill Dabholkar.Judicial Magistrate First Class H.R. Jadhav extended Andure’s CBI custody till Aug 30. CBI also told the court that the agency would seek the custody of Sharad Kalaskar, another alleged shooter in the Dabholkar case. Kalaskar is among the 5 men arrested by Maharashtra ATS in connection with seizure of crude bombs and firearms. A CBI officer later said the agency was awaiting the ballistic report of the pistol, and that it would be premature to say if it was used in the Dabholkar murder. Defence counsel Prakash Salsingikar opposed the extension of Andure’s custody.