Daughter comes in defence of Tabloid editor accused of getting colleague killed

The daughter of Kannada tabloid editor Ravi Belagere, who has been accused of getting his colleague killed, has come out in defence of her father. This comes even as the weapons recovered from two contract killers, suspected to have carried out the crime, have been sent for forensic test.

The weapons have been sent for the test to ascertain the possible involvement of the duo in the killing of senior journalist Gauri Lankesh, who was shot dead at her house here by unidentified assailants on September 5, said police.

Belagere’s daughter Bhavana, meanwhile, pointed that the case was suo-motu and no FIR was filed by anyone, claiming the innocence of her father.

Meanwhile, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the case questioned suspected arms supplier Tahir Hussain, who said he had supplied a pistol to sharpshooter Shashidhar Mundewadi from Vijayapura in north Karnataka.

Belagere has been arrested for allegedly hiring contract killers to eliminate his colleague Sunil Heggaravalli.

(With PTI Inputs)