Supreme Court dismisses plea against bail for Gauri Lankesh murder accused

The Supreme Court has dismissed a plea by Kavitha Lankesh against a Karnataka High Court order granting bail to an accused in the murder case of her elder sister and journalist Gauri Lankesh.

A bench of justices Bela M. Trivedi and S.C. Sharma noted that the accused, Mohan Nayak, has cooperated with the trial court in the proceedings and has not sought any adjournment.

"Under the circumstances, we are not inclined to interfere with the impugned orders passed by the high court. However, it is directed that the trial court shall expeditiously conduct the trial and all the parties shall cooperate with the trial court in concluding the trial.

"It goes without saying that if the respondent — accused — does not cooperate or ask for unnecessary adjournment(s) or commits breach of any condition, the State of Karnataka or the complainant shall be at liberty to apply for cancellation of bail, and if any such application is filed, the same shall be decided on its own merits and in accordance with law," the bench said.

Kavitha had moved the top court against the high court order dated 7 December 2023.

Senior advocate Sidharth Luthra, appearing for Karnataka, told the court that so far, 137 witnesses have been examined by the prosecution, 137 witnesses have been dropped, and the prosecution is also likely to drop 150 more witnesses, and now about 100 witnesses are still to be examined.

Lankesh was shot dead outside her residence in Rajarajeshwari Nagar in Bengaluru on 5 September 2017.