A Bengaluru court has granted bail to Sharad Bhausaheb Kalaskar, the final accused still in custody in the 2017 murder of journalist Gauri Lankesh. Principal City Civil and Sessions Judge B Muralidhara Pai issued the ruling on January 8, allowing Kalaskar’s release on a personal bond under strict conditions.
With this decision, 17 out of the 18 accused individuals in the case are now out on bail, while one person remains absconding.
Gauri Lankesh, a prominent journalist known for her criticism of right-wing ideologies, was shot dead outside her Bengaluru home on September 5, 2017. The murder attracted widespread national attention, with allegations that the accused were connected to a secretive organization with plans to establish a “Hindu Rashtra.”
The prosecution claims that Kalaskar was involved in training other defendants in weapon handling and bomb-making.
Kalaskar had been in custody since September 4, 2018, and filed for bail under Section 439 of the Criminal Procedure Code. His defense argued that his prolonged detention was unjustified, especially since 16 other co-accused had already been granted bail.
The court agreed, noting that Kalaskar’s extended detention violated his constitutional right to a speedy trial as outlined in Article 21 of the Constitution.
Although the prosecution opposed the bail, citing Kalaskar’s previous conviction in the murder of rationalist Narendra Dabholkar, the court dismissed this argument. It also said that the remaining witnesses in the case were primarily law enforcement personnel, reducing the risk of interference.
