DUJ Seeks Fast-Track Trial in Gauri Lankesh Murder Case

Eight Years On, Gauri Lankesh Murder Case Still Unresolved
Murder Trial Continues, Accused Out on Bail

New Delhi: Eight years after journalist and activist Gauri Lankesh was shot dead outside her Bengaluru home, the case continues to remain under trial, with almost all the accused now out on bail. Fresh attention was drawn to the matter following the election of one of the accused to a municipal body in Maharashtra.

The Delhi Union of Journalists (DUJ) today expressed dismay over the fact that those accused in the murder case are no longer in custody, even as judicial proceedings remain incomplete. The organisation raised concerns after Shrikant Pangarkar, one of the 18 accused in the case, was elected to the Jalna Municipal Corporation on January 16, 2026, as an independent candidate. Pangarkar, who is out on bail, was arrested in 2018 and was released six years later. He is accused of being part of the alleged conspiracy behind the murder and of supplying weapons used in the killing of Gauri Lankesh, as well as rationalist Narendra Dabholkar. Pangarkar is a former member of the Shiv Sena, which did not field a candidate against him in the election.

Gauri Lankesh was killed on the night of 5 September 2017 when she was shot multiple times outside her residence in the Rajarajeshwari Nagar area of Bengaluru. The killing led to widespread outrage and the constitution of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) by the Karnataka government to probe the case.

Following years of investigation, the SIT named 18 accused, alleging that the murder was the outcome of a planned conspiracy involving ideological training, reconnaissance, logistical support and execution. A second charge sheet running into more than 9,000 pages was filed, detailing the alleged roles of the accused. A special court was set up in Karnataka to hear the case, and the trial formally commenced in July 2022.

However, progress in the case has been slow. Courts have taken note of prolonged delays in recording evidence and examining witnesses. In January 2025, a Bengaluru sessions court granted bail to Sharad Bhausaheb Kalaskar, the last accused who had remained in custody. With this, 17 of the 18 accused are currently out on bail, while one accused, Vikas Patil, continues to be absconding. Bail orders were largely granted on the grounds of delay in trial and the constitutional right to a speedy hearing, with courts clarifying that the merits of the case would be examined during the course of the trial.

The DUJ noted that although a special court is hearing the matter and the trial is ongoing, the passage of eight years without conclusion reflects serious delays in the judicial process. The organisation called upon the governments of Karnataka and Maharashtra to ensure that the trial is fast-tracked so that justice is delivered.

The statement was issued by Sujata Madhok, President, S. K. Pande, Vice President, and Jigeesh A. M., General Secretary of the Delhi Union of Journalists. The murder of Gauri Lankesh continues to draw attention nationally, even as the legal process remains unfinished and the final outcome of the case is still awaited.

– global bihari bureau