Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah issued directives on Wednesday to take steps in establishing a special court aimed at expediting the trial proceedings for the killings of Gauri Lankesh and M M Kalburgi. The noted journalist, Gauri Lankesh, associated with left-leaning ideologies, was allegedly murdered in September 2017 by the same group responsible for the earlier killing of renowned litterateur Kalburgi at his Dharwad residence two years prior.
Siddaramaiah, in an administrative note, highlighted the concerns raised by Gauri's sister, Kavitha Lankesh, and Kalburgi's wife, Umadevi, regarding the delayed court hearings for their cases. Responding to their request for the establishment of a special court with a dedicated judge, the Chief Minister instructed the Additional Chief Secretary responsible for internal administration to assess the situation and take necessary actions.
MM Kalburgi, a renowned scholar, was shot dead by two motorcycle-borne attackers in Dharwad on August 30, 2015. The Chief Minister, addressing the Gauri Lankesh murder case, informed that 18 individuals have been arrested, and a comprehensive chargesheet, consisting of 1,200 pieces of evidence and 500 witnesses, has been filed.
Siddaramaiah expressed dissatisfaction with the slow progress in the Gauri Lankesh case since the trial commenced in July 2022. Kavitha Lankesh, Gauri's sister, also advocated for a special court with an exclusive judge for the trial.
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 instructed the Additional Chief Secretary overseeing internal administration to examine the matter and take necessary actions.
The Karnataka government had previously asserted the interconnected nature of the two murder cases, leading to the Supreme Court transferring the Kalburgi murder investigation to the existing Special Investigation Team (SIT) responsible for the Gauri Lankesh case.
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