Gauri murder accused refuses to undergo test at FSL

  • | Sunday | 22nd April, 2018

According to sources, Naveen “turned hostile and created a ruckus” minutes before the test was to commence on Friday. This is a setback for the Special Investigation Team as it had hoped the tests would help in cracking the case. The city police are now planning to approach the court to seek his custody in another case where he has been accused of conspiring and attempting to murder writer and rationalist K.S. He alleged that he had given his consent to the court under pressure from SIT officials. However, once the dates were announced, Naveen retracted his consent in a letter to prison officials.

more-in K.T. Naveen Kumar, arrested for his alleged role as a gunrunner in the murder of journalist and activist Gauri Lankesh, is back in Bengaluru Central Prison after he refused to undergo neuropsychological tests at the Forensic Science Lab in Gandhinagar, Gujarat. This is a setback for the Special Investigation Team as it had hoped the tests would help in cracking the case. According to sources, Naveen “turned hostile and created a ruckus” minutes before the test was to commence on Friday. “He threatened to harm himself if they proceeded with it. We had no option but to bring him back,” a SIT official said. The SIT had shifted Naveen out of the prison on April 14 to take him to Ahmedabad by road after the forensic lab informed them that the tests could be conducted between April 16 and 30. The team reached Ahmedabad on April 16 and Naveen was lodged at Sabarmati prison. Later that day, he was taken to the lab. “We are new to this procedure and not aware of its implications,” said a senior police officer of the SIT, adding that they would seek a legal opinion on the matter. It was after Naveen gave his consent in court on March 12 that the third Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Court permitted the SIT to conduct the tests. However, once the dates were announced, Naveen retracted his consent in a letter to prison officials. He alleged that he had given his consent to the court under pressure from SIT officials. The city police are now planning to approach the court to seek his custody in another case where he has been accused of conspiring and attempting to murder writer and rationalist K.S. Bhagawan. Vedamurthy, the advocate representing Naveen, said that he would seek bail for his client.

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