Gauri Lankesh Murder: Court Orders Transfer Of All Accused To Bengaluru Central Prison For Framing Of Charges

In its order dated September 22, the Prl. City Civil And Sessions Judge ordered, "In view of the accused being placed in different jails and one or the other accused being not produced from the respective jails. Hence, framing of the charge is being deferred on one or the other reason. Hence the accused who are placed in Ballari, Tumkur, Mysuru and Shivamogga jail are ordered to be brought to the central prison, Parappana Agrahara, Bengaluru for the purpose of framing charge. The investigating officer is directed to furnish the IP address of the Arthur Jail, Bombay for arranging a video conference of the accused who are placed in Arthur Jail, Bombay."

The court also indicated that it may frame charges against the accused in the case on the next date of hearing it said "The office is directed to issue necessary intimation to the IO and also to the respective jail authorities. Call on for framing charge and to hear bail application of A-17 by 25.10.2021."

On September 5, 2017, journalist and activist Gauri Lankesh was shot dead in front of her residence in south Bengaluru. The police have arrested 18 persons in the case. The first charge-sheet in the case was filed against Naveen Kumar on May 30. On November 23, 2018, the SIT submitted an additional 9,235-page chargesheet in the Principal Civil and Sessions court. The second chargesheet named 18 people as accused in the murder.

Recently the Supreme Court reserved orders in a plea filed by filmmaker Kavita Lankesh challenging the Karnataka High Court judgement which quashed charges under Karnataka Control of Organised Crimes Act (KCOCA) against accused Mohan Nayak in the Gauri Lankesh murder case. Kavita Lankesh is the sister of Gauri Lankesh.