Accused in journalist Gauri Lankesh murder case joins Shinde-led Sena in Jalna
Jalna (PTI): Shrikant Pangarkar, an accused in the 2017 murder of journalist Gauri Lankesh, which outraged the nation, joined Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena in Jalna ahead of assembly polls.
Lankesh was shot dead outside her home in Karnataka capital Bengaluru on September 5, 2017.
A probe by police in Karnataka with assistance from agencies in Maharashtra led to the arrest of several persons.
Pangarkar, a Jalna municipal councillor of the undivided Shiv Sena between 2001and 2006, was arrested in August 2018 and was granted bail by the Karnataka High Court on September 4 this year.
After he was denied a ticket by the Shiv Sena in 2011, Pangarkar joined the right-wing Hindu Janjagruti Samiti.
He joined the Shinde-led Shiv Sena on Friday in the presence of party leader and former state minister Arjun Khotkar.
"Pangarkar is a former Shiv Sainik and has returned to the party. He has been nominated as the chief of the Jalna assembly poll campaign," Khotkar told reporters.
Khotkar also said he wants to contest the assembly poll from Jalna, but added seat sharing discussions in the Mahayuti (ruling alliance comprising Shiv Sena, BJP and Ajit Pawar-led NCP) were still underway.
The seat is held by Congress' Kailash Gorantyal.
Maharashtra assembly polls will be held on November 20, while results will be declared on November 23. The term of the current assembly ends on November 26.
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Karnataka govt revokes suspension of DGP Ramachandra Rao, reinstates him
Bengaluru (PTI): The Karnataka government on Wednesday revoked the suspension order of DGP K Ramachandra Rao and reinstated him into service with immediate effect.
According to the official order, the 1993-batch IPS officer has been posted, with immediate effect and until further orders, as Director General of Police (Police Manual).
"The post of Director General of Police (Police Manual) is declared equivalent in status and responsibilities to the cadre post of Director General of Police, Criminal Investigation Department, Special Units and Economic Offences, Bengaluru, under Rule 12 of the IPS (Pay) Rules, 2016, as included in Schedule II of the said rules," the government order stated.
Rao, who was then serving as Director General of Police (Civil Rights Enforcement), was placed under suspension with immediate effect on January 19, citing conduct unbecoming of a government servant and causing embarrassment to the state administration.
News channels had beamed videos purportedly showing Rao in a compromising position with women. The videos had also gone viral on social media.
Rao is the stepfather of Kannada actress Harshavardhini Ranya, alias Ranya Rao, who is accused of orchestrating the illegal import of gold worth over Rs 12.56 crore from Dubai to India along with two others--businessman Tarun Raju and jewellery dealer Sahil Jain.
Ranya was apprehended at Bengaluru's Kempegowda International Airport on March 3, 2025, with 14.8 kilograms of gold allegedly smuggled from Dubai.
