Belagavi: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has directed the home department to set up a special court to expedite trials in the killings of journalist Gauri Lankesh and scholar MM Kalburgi.
Siddaramaiah has written two separate notes to Additional Chief Secretary (Home) S R Umashankar seeking “urgent necessary action”.
The CM’s directive is based on petitions by Gauri’s sister Kavita Lankesh and Kalburgi’s wife Umadevi.
Siddaramaiah stated that Gauri was killed on September 5, 2017, and a special investigation team was formed to probe the case.
“So far, 18 accused persons have been arrested and a charge sheet comprising 1,200 documents and 500 pieces of evidence was submitted to the court. The court started hearing the case from July 2022. Due to other cases, the hearings are going slow,” he stated, adding that a special court should be constituted with a full-time judge.
Kalburgi was killed at his Dharwad residence on August 31, 2015. “It’s been seven years. The charge sheet in the case was submitted to the court in 2018-19. While the statements of his family members have been recorded, hearings continue in the court,” Siddaramaiah stated.
Published 06 December 2023, 14:59 IST
