Gauri Lankesh murder accused Shrikant Pangarkar wins Jalna Civic Poll as independent
Jalna: Shrikant Pangarkar, an accused in the 2017 murder of journalist Gauri Lankesh, won the Jalna Municipal Corporation elections from Ward 13 as an independent candidate on Thursday. Pangarkar celebrated his victory with supporters after defeating candidates from the Bharatiya Janata Party and other parties in the ward.
The Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena did not field a candidate in Ward 13. Ahead of the November 2024 Maharashtra Assembly elections, Pangarkar had briefly joined the Shiv Sena, but his induction was kept in abeyance following public backlash.
Gauri Lankesh, a senior journalist and activist, was shot dead outside her residence in Bengaluru on September 5, 2017, a killing that sparked nationwide outrage and debates on freedom of expression, secularism, and political violence.
Pangarkar has a long political history in Jalna. He served as a municipal councillor between 2001 and 2006 when the Shiv Sena was undivided. After being denied a party ticket in 2011, he joined the right-wing Hindu Janjagruti Samiti.
In August 2018, Pangarkar was arrested by the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad in connection with the seizure of crude bombs and weapons from various parts of 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, Pangarkar was granted bail by the Karnataka High Court on September 4, 2024. His electoral victory has once again drawn attention to the case and the broader debate on criminal cases involving political candidates.
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Two held in UP's Bijnor for contact with Pakistan linked Dubai handler
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Bijnor (PTI): Two men were arrested in this Uttar Pradesh district on Friday for allegedly being in touch with a Pakistan-linked handler based in Dubai, police said.
Circle Officer, Najibabad, Anjani Kumar Chaturvedi said Uvaid Malik and Jalal Haider were arrested following inputs on their alleged links with Aqib, a resident of Meerut currently staying in Dubai.
According to police, Aqib had earlier come into the spotlight after a video surfaced on Instagram purportedly showing him displaying an AK-47 rifle and explosives.
During interrogation, the arrested men allegedly told police that Aqib used to incite youngsters against Hindus and encourage anti-national activities, the officer said, adding that detailed questioning of the accused is underway.
On April 6, Superintendent of Police (SP) Abhishek Jha said the video first surfaced in November last year. Aqib, a native of Sathla village in the Mawana area of Meerut, was allegedly seen in the video brandishing weapons.
Following the viral clip, a case was registered at the Nangal police station by sub-inspector Vinod Kumar. However, the then station house officer and investigating officer Satyendra Singh had recorded Aqib's statement and filed a final report, stating that the weapons seen in the video were toys, effectively giving him a clean chit.
Police said fresh developments have now revealed Aqib's suspicious links and the probe has been handed over to the Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS).
The SP said action has been taken against the officials concerned, with the then SHO and investigating officer suspended and Circle Officer Nitesh Pratap Singh removed from his post.
