Gauri Lankesh murder accused wins municipal corporation elections

Mumbai | Desk: Shrikant Pangarkar, accused murderer of Journalist Gauri Lankesh won the Jalna Municipal Corporation elections in Maharashtra. 

Pangarkar stood in the elections as an independent candidate from ward 13, won by a margin of 2,621 votes celebrated his victory along with his supporters after the results announced.

Jalna is a city in the state’s Marathwada region.

He won elections when the BJP and other rival parties had fielded their candidates. However, Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena party did not field a candidate in the ward.

In the run-up to the November 2024 Assembly elections, Shrikant had made a short-lived entry into the Shiv Sena. However, after facing public backlash, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde decided to suspend his induction into the party. 

Gauri was murdered on September 5, 2017, by a team of 18 Hindutva extremists led by Amol Kale outside her residence in Bengluru's Rajrajeshwari Nagar. 

In 2021, Shrikant was named as an accused in the case along with Amol Kale (prime accused), Amit Degwekar, Sujith Kumar, Ganesh Miskin, Amith Badd, Bharath Kurane, Suresh HL, Rajesh Bangera, Sudhanva Gondalekar, Sharad Kalaskar, Mohan Nayak, Vasudev Suryavamshi, Manohara Edave, Naveen Kumar, and Rushikesh Deodikar.

Shrikant had earlier served as a Jalna Municipal Council member from the undivided Shiv Sena between 2001 and 2006. After being denied a party ticket in 2011, he joined the right-wing Hindu Janajagruti Samiti.

In August 2018, the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad arrested him after crude bombs and weapons were recovered from different locations in the state. He was booked under the Explosives Act, the Explosive Substances Act, and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.

In the Gauri Lankesh murder case, the Karnataka High Court granted Shrikant bail on September 4, 2024.

Speaking after his victory, he said that he has not been convicted in the case and that the legal proceedings are still ongoing.