Karnataka High Court grants bail to three accused in Gauri Lankesh murder case

Bengaluru: The High Court of Karnataka on Tuesday granted bail to three men accused in the Gauri Lankesh murder case. 

Justice S Vishwajith Shetty allowed the bail petitions filed by K T Naveen Kumar, Suresh H L and Amit Degwekar with the condition that they attend the ongoing trial as and when required. The detailed order copy is not yet available. 

The petitioners primarily cited the high court's December 7, 2023 order that granted bail to another accused in the case, a Sullia-based Ayurvedic medicine practitioner N Mohan Nayak. He was given bail after the Supreme Court held that the provisions of the Karnataka Control of Organised Crimes Act (KCOCA) could not be applied to him.

The petitioners sought extension of parity, claiming that they also stood on similar footing, being charged with conspiracy, abetment etc. They also submitted that 527 witnesses had been cited by the prosecution and only 130 witnesses had been examined since the trial began in July 2022. 

Noted journalist and human rights activist Gauri Lankesh was shot dead by two bike-borne men on the night of September 5, 2017, outside her house in western Bengaluru's RR Nagar. The SIT named a total of 18 accused/suspects, including mastermind Amol Kale, shooter Parashuram Waghmare, and Ganesh Miskin, who rode the motorbike on the night of killing, according to the prosecution.