Chaini Parwani –
Published on: November 01, 2021 at 11:15 IST
A Special Court on Saturday framed charges against 17 Accused right after the Supreme Court cleared for framing of Charges against Mohan Nayak N, held in the Journalist-activist Gauri Lankeshu Murder Case, under provisions of the Karnataka Control of Organized Crimes Act, 2000 (KCOCA).
Special Judge Anil Bheemanna Katti condemned the Charges via a Video Conference to the held, in Kannada and Marathi, languages known to the Accused as per the requirement under Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC).
The Accused are currently in Central Prison at Parappana Agrahara, Bengaluru; Arthur Road Jail, Mumbai, and Yerawada Prison, Pune.
Further the names of the Accused were highlighted as: Amol Kale, Amit Baddi, Parashuram Wagmore, Ganesh Miskin, Amit Degwekar, Bharat Kurane, Rajesh D Bangera, Sudhanva Gondalekar, Mohan Nayak N, Suresh H L, Sharad B Kalaskar, Vasudev B Suryavanshi, Sujith Kumar, Manohar Yedave, Srikanth J Pangarkar, K T Naveen Kumar and Rushikesh Devadekar.
Furthermore, the charges were issued under the Sections 302 (Murder), 120B (Criminal Conspiracy), 114 (Abettor being present at the time of committing of Offense), 118 (Concealing design to commit heinous Offense), 109 (Abetment to Committing Offense), 201 (Causing Disappearance of Evidence), 203 (False Information about Offense Committed), 204 (Destruction of Evidence), 35 (Criminal Act by Several persons); other Arms Act Sections for Possession and use of Prohibited Arms and Ammunition, and Section 3 of Karnataka Control of Organized Crimes Act, 2000 (KCOCA) concerning to Organized Crime.
The Accused then pleaded not Guilty and prayed Court authorization to connect to their Lawyers in Jail before determining the date of Hearing to which the Court granted permission.
The Court further directed the Jail Authorities in Bengaluru not to transfer any of the Accused accommodated there without Specific Court authorization, to ensure a well-ordered Hearing.
The Special Court had issued directions on transferring of Accused in Jails at Tumakuru, Ballari, Mysuru and Shivamogga to the Central Prison, Bengaluru for registering of Charges on September 22, 2021.
Journalist Gauri Lankesh was assassinated outside her house in Rajarajeshwarinagar, Bengaluru, by two bike-borne men on September 5, 2017.
The Special Investigation Team identified 18 Accused and Arrested 17, including originator Amol Kale, shooter Parashuram Wagmore and Ganesh Miskin, who rode the motorbike.
The Court Adjourned the matter for a further Trial on December 8.
Also Read: Supreme Court restores KCOCA charges in Gauri Lankesh Murder Case
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