Bengaluru: K.T. Naveen Kumar alias Hotte Manja, who has been arrested for alleged involvement in the sensational Gauri Lankesh murder case, will be taken for narco-analysis test in the “next 10 days” to the Forensic Science Laboratory, Gandhinagar, Gujarat.
“The Gujarat FSL has given a date for Kumar’s narco-analysis test in the first half of April, but the date cannot be disclosed for security reasons,” the officer said on condition of anonymity. The Special Investigation Team (SIT) will have to cough up the prescribed rate of Rs 50,000 for Kumar's narco-test.
The Third Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (ACMM) court had permitted the SIT to subject Kumar to narco-test after the accused gave his consent. The magistrate had directed the SIT to conduct the test as per the guidelines prescribed by the Supreme Court and the National Human Rights Commission.
Kumar – a member of the Hindu Yuva Sena (HYS), Maddur – was arrested on March 9 by the SIT in the Gauri murder case. He was earlier arrested by the Central Crime Branch (CCB) in the Upparpet police station limits on February 18 in the Arms Act case, when he was allegedly found selling contraband live cartridges at the KSRTC bus stand in the crowded Majestic area. Kumar is now in judicial custody at the Bangalore Central Prison at Parapanna Agrahara. He has been lodged in a high-security cell.
FSL, Gandhinagar is the only forensic laboratory in the country which conducts psychological tests like narco-analysis and brain fingerprinting on the crime accused.
The Directorate of Forensic Science, Gujarat charges Rs 30,000 for a single test from security agencies outside the state, but Rs 50,000 for those who want the test to be done on a priority basis.
