In a recent judgment, the Supreme Court declined to cancel the bail granted to Mohan Nayak, an accused in the high-profile murder case of journalist Gauri Lankesh. The decision came against an appeal filed by Kavitha Lankesh, who challenged a Karnataka High Court order favoring the accused.
Justices Bela M. Trivedi and S.C. Sharma presided over the bench that reviewed the plea. The court acknowledged Nayak’s cooperation with the ongoing trial, noting his consistent participation and absence of requests for adjournments. “Under the circumstances, we are not inclined to interfere with the impugned orders passed by the high court,” the bench stated.
The apex court also directed that the trial should be conducted expeditiously and mandated cooperation from all parties involved. The justices added a cautionary note: “It goes without saying that if the respondent — accused — does not cooperate or asks for unnecessary adjournment(s) or commits breach of any condition, the State of Karnataka or the complainant shall be at liberty to apply for cancellation of bail.”*
Senior advocate Sidharth Luthra, representing the State of Karnataka, highlighted the extensive scale of the trial, noting that 137 witnesses had been examined, with a similar number already dropped from the proceedings. He also indicated that approximately 100 witnesses are yet to be heard.
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Gauri Lankesh, a veteran journalist known for her outspoken criticism of right-wing extremism, was tragically shot outside her home in Rajarajeshwari Nagar, Bengaluru, on September 5, 2017. Her murder sparked widespread condemnation and brought attention to the risks faced by journalists.
