BENGALURU: Parashuram Waghmare, the man accused of killing Gauri Lankesh, dropped a bombshell on Saturday when he told the media gathered outside the court that the special investigation team (SIT) probing the murder had offered him Rs 25 lakh to confess to the crime. Waghmare, along with another suspect Manohar Edave and 11 other accused, were produced before the court by the CID. While being taken away, Waghmare alleged that the sleuths had also tortured him for a week and threatened to fix his brothers in other cases if he did not confess.
Both Waghmare and Edave were questioned by journalists through the police vehicle which was on its way to the Central Prison from the court. The video of their statement went viral in the social media on Saturday.
In the video, Waghmare can be heard saying, “I was offered Rs 25-30 lakh by an officer when I was being interrogated. The officials convinced me that the money would help my family members. Otherwise, they threatened that they would fix my brothers and friends. During eight days of interrogation, they forced me to sign blank papers. While video recording my statement, the officials told me exactly what I had to tell.”
Speaking to The New Sunday Express, B K Singh, Additional Commissioner of Police who heads the SIT, said, “The allegations made by Waghmare and Edave are baseless. I feel that it is not worth reacting to their allegations. Why they did not open their mouth before the judge when they were produced before the court after their arrest?”
Waghmare can be heard saying in the video clip that he was innocent and that he had not met any of the lotters or killers. He accused the sleuths of targeting him and his family. “I did not even know who
Gauri was till her murder was reported in the media,” he claimed.The other suspect, Edave, alleged that the officials had forced him to confess about targeting rationalist K S Bhagawan.
“I was held in May and did not know anything about those arrested by the SIT. I did not intend to kill anyone and I was thrashed by the SIT,” he claimed.The CID, prbing into the murder of Prof M M Kalburgi had taken 13 accused, including Waghmare and Edave, to Dharwad for the spot mahazar. Since their 14-day custody was over on Saturday, the officials produced the accused before the First CCH Court before handing them over to judicial custody.