Benaluru : The Karnataka High Court on Wednesday granted bail to three of the total 17 persons accused in murder of popular journalist-activist Gauri Lankesh(55) in September of 2017.
Those granted relief are : Amit Digvekar, KT Navin Kumar and HL Suresh. The bail argument hinged heavily on the fact that their co-accused Mohan Nayak received bail in the case in December of 2023. The long delay taking place before trial was also cited to court’s attention.
Mohan Nayak was accused of renting house and SIM cards for the killers. He is an alleged associate of Sanatan Sanstha and a staunch critic of Lankesh. Nayak. He had served five years in jail before being allowed bail after the court noted that he did not face a life sentence or capital punishment for his role in the crime.
Meanwhile, businessman Thimmaih(46) – a key witness in the case, turned hostile. Though he originally testified to being aware of Rajesh Bangera’s plan to murder Lankesh, he later said the confessional statement was given under duress.
The chargesheet puts her murder as “organised crime” carried out by activists of Sanatan Sanstha - an extremist right-wing Hindutva organisation.
On the fateful night of 5 September, 2017, Sanatan Sanstha activists reached hanged around the Lankesh’s house waiting for her return. The gunman then shot her dead point blank in the courtyard.
