Daijiworld Media Network – Bengaluru (RJP)
Bengaluru, Apr 23: The Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing Gauri Lankesh murder suffered a setback as the sole suspect of the case refused to undergo narcoanalysis tests in Gandhinagar, Gujarat.
K T Naveen Kumar (38) is the suspect who was arrested in connection with the murder.
Kumar had earlier told a sessions court in Bengaluru that he was willing to undergo the tests.
As per Supreme Court guidelines, Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) officials conducting the tests must take written consent from a suspect even after the court's permission.
FSL officials had given the SIT dates between April 16 and 30 for conducting the tests. SIT sleuths picked up Kumar from the Central Prison, Parappana Agrahara here on April 14 and took him to Gandhinagar.
As per sources, when FSL officials explained to Kumar about what will happen to his body when he undergoes polygraph and Brain Electrical Oscillation Signature Profiling (BEOS) tests, he started screaming. He also threatened to commit suicide. As a result, the tests could not take place and the SIT brought him back to Bengaluru.
An SIT official said Kumar's refusal to undergo the tests would be brought to the notice of the court and that they would seek his custody for further interrogation.
Kumar’s advocate Veda Murthy said that the bail application was likely to be moved this week.
Kumar, a resident of Maddur, Mandya, was arrested on February 18, 2018, by the CCB for illegally possessing 15 live bullets. He was later handed over to the SIT which made him a suspect in Gauri's murder.
Senior journalist and activist Gauri Lankesh was murdered in September last year outside her residence.