Mangaluru : The investigation of the murder RTI activist Vinayak Baliga has come to a standstill after nearly eight months of the crime and the release of prime accused Naresh Shenoy on bail, said rationalist Narendra Nayak.

He expressed dissatisfaction over the ongoing probe into the murder of RTI activist Vinayak Baliga. Baliga was hacked to death on March 21.

He said on Saturday that the conspiracy behind the murder is yet to be unravelled and the plotters should be brought to book. The prime accused Naresh Shenoy has come out on bail with his powerful political connections, Nayak said and accused both the ruling party and the opposition in Karnataka seem to be in the support of Shenoy.

He said that Baliga family and the organisations and individuals supporting them are facing an uphill task to get justice for the late activist. Prima facie it appears that the activities of Baliga in exposing the irregularities in the finances of the Sri Venkatramana Temple at Car Street and the Kashi mutt have resulted in a conspiracy to murder him.

One of the crucial piece of evidence is the letter he (Baliga) had sent to the present head of Kashi Mutt Samyamindra Theertha, which has gone missing, he claimed and added that he had sent the letter in the first week of March to the Delhi camp of the present head of the mutt.

Nayak said that the police had issued a summons to Samyamindra Theertha Swamiji to produce the letter written by Baliga to him recently. But instead of appearing in person, he had sent a Chartered Accountant and two lawyers to represent him.

This unusual procedure has raised an eyebrow, as in criminal case one can not be represented by a counsel and even questioning is done to the person in the police station unless the accused is a minor child or a woman, he said.

Nayak said that family of Vinayak Baliga having lost their sole bread winner is struggling for a living as well as trying to get justice for the departed. They have not lost hope and are running from pillar to post and continue to fight for the cause.

His sister Harsha has impleaded herself into some of the cases he had filed particularly the one against the management of the Sharada Vidyalaya. His sisters are also planning to implead themselves in the cases he has filed against the irregularities at the Venkatramana Temple at Car Street.

Counsel N Ravindranath Kamath said that he is challenging the bail granted to Naresh Shenoy by the High Court when the investigation is incomplete in the case, in the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court will hear the case on November 28.

The bail should be cancelled as his very presence outside is a threat to the family and the witnesses in the Baliga murder case. Another case pertaining to subjecting Shenoy to undergo narco analysis test is also pending before the High Court, which is likely to come for hearing in the next week.

The accused though has been claiming innocence all the time has been steadfast in his refusal to be subjected to narco analysis and brain mapping examinations. The Baliga family has appealed against the judgement of the Sessions court in Mangaluru, upholding his contention not to be subject to such an investigation.