BELAGAVI: Wife of Bharat Kurne, who was arrested from Belagavi for his alleged links with Parashuram Waghmare, the main accused in the killing of rationalist Gauri Lankesh, has alleged that the Special Investigation Team (SIT) is engaged in needlessly harassing innocent him and his family members in the pretext of investigations into the murder.
Speaking to reporters in Belagavi on Thursday, Bharat’s wife Gayatri said SIT arrested Kurne in the first week of August, took him to Bengaluru and framed him in Lankesh case. Since then, she alleged SIT continuously harassed Kurne family members. “Due to their harassment, my husband has become both mentally and physically weak,” she alleged.
Mother of Kurne, Rekha, said SIT is harassing not only her son but also her whole family. She alleged that SIT has taken Rahul, the younger brother of Bharat into custody five times in the pretext of inquiry. He had to go all the way to Bengaluru five times within a month to face the harassment of SIT, she alleged.
Chetan Mannerikar, advocate of Bharat, said SIT is not giving even five minutes to Bharat to explain his personal problems. Such an act does not fit in the frame of laws, he alleged. Mannerikar alleged that SIT should not frame fake cases against innocent youths as it is doing now. Various Hindu organisations including Sanatan, Hindu Jana Jagruti Samiti and others extended support to Gayatri and Rekha.