The Special Investigating Team (SIT) probing the killing of journalist-activist Gauri Lankesh today arrested a 37-year old hotelier from Belagavi on charges of harboring two key accused in the case, police said.

Bharat Kurne, a resident of Sambhaji Gali in Belagavi, had 'harboured' the mastermind of the crime Amol Kaleand sharp shooter Parashuram Waghmare, an official of the Special Investigation Team said.

With this, the total number of suspects arrested in the case has risen to 12.

"We have arrested one Bharat Kurne. He has been remanded to judicial custody (by a court) and we have applied for police custody," the official told PTI.

The police plea seeking custody of Kurne has been posted for hearing tomorrow, police said.

Left leaning Lankesh, who was strongly opposed to Hindutva, was shot dead on September 5 last year by two bike-borne assailants near her house here, triggering outrage.

(Source : PTI) (Featured Image – India Today)