Four year after crime, trial court frame charges against 18 accused in Gauri Lankesh Murder Case
Bengaluru: In what has come as a major development in the murder case of journalist-activist Gauri Lankesh, a trial court in Bengaluru on Saturday, October 30 framed charges against 18 accused in the case.
11 of the accused lodged in Bengaluru Central Jail and seven other accused lodged in Arthur Road Jail in Mumbai and Pune’s Yerwada Jail were produced before the Court through video conferencing as a part of proceedings.
Amol Kale has been named as accused number one. Amit Degwekar and Sujith Kumar have been named as the prime conspirators who planned the murder.
The other accused are Ganesh Miskin, Amith Badd, Bharath Kurane, Suresh HL, Rajesh Bangera, Sudhanva Gondalekar, Sharad Kalaskar, Mohan Nayak, Vasudev Suryavamshi, Manohara Edave, Srikanth Pangarkar, Naveen Kumar, and Rushikesh Deodikar. They have been charged under the following sections: Sections 302 (punishment for murder), 120B (criminal conspiracy), 114 (absent abettor when the crime is committed), 118 (concealing design to commit offence), 109 (offence of abetment for the act of committing the murder), 201 (disappearance of evidence of offence), 203 (giving false information with respect ot an offence), 204 (destruction of evidence), 35 (an act done with a criminal knowledge or intention) of the Indian Penal code as well as sections of the Arms Act and Karnataka Organised Crime Act.
The SIT had identified the shooter as Parashuram Waghmare.
The charges were read over and explained to the accused persons in the language known to them in Marathi and Kannada.
“The accused persons after having understood the same pleaded not guilty and claim to be tried. The obtaining of the signature of the accused on the certificate of charge is dispensed with since the same is recorded through video conferencing,” the court noted.
The court further ordered Bengaluru Central jail authority not to transfer any of the accused to any other prison without a specific order from this court in that regard so as to conduct a smooth trial.
Journalist Gauri Lankesh was shot dead in front of her residence in Rajarajeshwari Nagar in Bengaluru on September 5, 2017, by bike-borne assailants.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
New Zealand wins the 3rd ODI against Pakistan by 43 runs and sweeps the series
Mount Maunganui (New Zealand), Apr 5 (AP): Pakistan ended a disappointing tour of New Zealand on another somber note Saturday, losing the third one-day international by 43 runs.
While Pakistan made a bold effort to chase down New Zealand's total of 264-8, it fell short again and was dismissed for 221 in a match reduced by a wet outfield to 42 overs per side.
New Zealand fast bowler Ben Sears took 5-34, his second five-wicket total in consecutive matches.
Pakistan made a strong start to its chase despite a shocking injury to opener Imam-ul-Haq, who retired hurt in the third over after being struck in the head by a throw at the stumps.
Imam was attempting a quick single when a throw to the non-striker's end lodged in the grill of his helmet. He was clearly dazed and struggled to stand steadily before being helped from the field.
Babar Azam rallied Pakistan after the incident with a half century which, with support from Abdullah Safique (33) and Mohammad Rizwan (37), helped Pakistan to 95-1 at the midpoint of its innings.
With 10 overs remaining, Pakistan was 167-4 and well in the match: New Zealand was 165-4 at the same stage. But New Zealand took 99 runs from the last 10 overs of its innings and Pakistan couldn't match that finish.
Tayyab Tahir made 33 from 31 balls but when he holed out in the 39th over with Pakistan 218-9 the chase was all but over.
Pakistan arrived in New Zealand with a new-look squad, eager to shrug off a disappointing performance at the recent Champions Trophy which it hosted and hoping to build towards next year's T20 World Cup.
But the tourists lost the five-match T20 series 4-1 and lost the first two matches of the three-match ODI series by 73 runs and 84 runs before Saturday's defeat. The Pakistan batters mostly struggled on fast and bouncy New Zealand pitches.
“Obviously it was a disappointing series for us,” Pakistan captain Mohammad Rizwan said. "But if you look at the positives, Babar Azam is in very good touch. Looking at the bowling Sufiyan Muqeem was the guy.
“You have to give credit to New Zealand in all departments. They played very well for the last couple of months. They played well in Pakistan against us and they are true professionals.”
Earlier, opener Rhys Mariu and Michael Bracewell made half centuries and Daryl Mitchell passed 2,000 runs in ODIs as New Zealand batted first after losing the toss.
Mariu posted his maiden half century in his second ODI and went on to make 58 from 61 balls. Mitchell came into the match with 1,998 runs in one-day internationals with finished with 2,041 runs from 52 matches in which he averages 49.7.
Captain Bracewell finished strongly, making 59 from 40 balls.
