Mumbai, Aug 26: The Central Bureau of Investigation, which is probing the murder of anti-superstition activist Narendra Dabholkar, has recovered the pistol used for gunning down journalist Gauri Lankesh in Bengaluru last year.

The pistol, CBI said, was recovered from one Subham Sarale, the brother-in-law of Saurabh Andure, arrested last week for his alleged role in the Dabholkar murder case.

The CBI has appealed Shivajinagar Magistrate’s Court in Pune to grant the agency Andure's custody. The accused is currently detained by the Maharashtra ATS.

Andure, a resident of Aurangabad, was arrested by the ATS after being tipped off by his accomplice Sharad Kalaskar. The latter was arrested from Nalasopara during a raid on August 11.

The ATS claims that Kalaskar and Andure were the two bike-borne motorists who had fired upon Dabholkar, 67, on June 20, 2013.

Lankesh, 55 was murdered over four years later on September 5, 2017. The name of right-wing Hindu outfit Sanatan Sanstha had propped up as some of the accused held by the police are linked with the organisation.

Although Sanstha has denied its involvement in the crime, its critics have pointed out publications released by the outfit which described Dabholkar and Lankesh as "enemies of Hindus".

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 26, 2018 07:38 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).