K’taka CM Calls for Special Court to Expedite MM Kalburgi & Gauri Lankesh Murder Trials

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah directed officials to take steps towards establishing a special court to expedite the trial proceedings for the murder cases of MM Kalburgi and Gauri Lankesh.

Gauri Lankesh, a journalist, fell victim to a fatal shooting carried out by three assailants outside her residence in Bengaluru on September 5, 2017, while Kalburgi was shot dead by two individuals on motorcycles outside his home in Dharwad on August 30, 2015.

In response to concerns raised by Kalburgi’s wife, Umadevi, regarding the prolonged trial, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah issued an order addressing the need for a special court.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said that 18 people have been arrested and a detailed chargesheet with 1,200 pieces of evidence and 500 witnesses has been submitted in the Gauri Lankesh murder case.

Siddaramaiah said that Kavitha Lankesh, Gauri’s sister, has demanded a special court with a dedicated judge due to the slow development in the case for which the trial commenced on July 2022.

Responding to the demands from the families of Gauri Lankesh and MM Kalburgi for a dedicated court with a full-time judge, the Chief Minister directed the Additional Chief Secretary handling internal administration to examine the matter for necessary action.

It was previously asserted by the Karnataka government that the two murder cases shared common links, leading the Supreme Court to transfer the Kalburgi murder probe to the Special Investigation Team (SIT), which was already overseeing the investigation into Gauri Lankesh’s murder.