The CBI has examined a retired IPS officer and two serving police officers in connection with the murder of Yogesh Gowda, BJP leader and member of the Dharwad Zilla Panchayat in Karnataka's Sapthapura in 2016, according to the agency.
They were supervisory officers during the investigation conducted by the local police into the murder, said a CBI official on Wednesday.
“Retired IPS officer Pandurang Rane was then the Commissioner of Hubli-Dharwad. Jinendra Khanagavi, then a Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) in Dharwad, is an IPS officer and currently posted as the Superintendent of Police (Security) in Bengaluru. Mallikarjun Baladandi, then the DCP (Crime and Traffic) in Dharwad, is now Additional SP in Haveri,” the official said.
Last month, the CBI filed a charge sheet against eight persons for their alleged involvement in the murder. While the local police had stated that the murder was as a result of dispute over a property deal, the CBI said Mr. Gowda was killed due to political reasons.
Those named in the charge sheet are Santosh Savadatti, Dinesh. M, Sunil K.S, Harshith, Aswath. S, Nazeer Ahamad, Shanawaz and Nutan K.S.
The incident took place outside the BJP member’s gymnasium on June 15, 2016. The assailants threw chilli powder in his eyes and hacked him to death before fleeing on two-wheelers.
The CBI took over the case in September 2019 on a reference from the State government through the Department of Personnel and Training. In September 2016, the local police filed a charge sheet against six persons, all residents of Dharwad, for their alleged role.
After taking over the probe, the CBI arrested eight accused persons. While seven of them are currently in judicial custody, one was granted bail.
