Gauri Lankesh murder: HC order set aside

New Delhi, October 21

The Supreme Court today revived the charges under the Karnataka Control of Organised Crimes Act (KCOCA) against an accused in the murder of journalist Gauri Lankesh, who was shot dead on September 5, 2017.

Allowing the appeals filed by Karnataka and Gauri Lankesh’s sister Kavitha, a Bench headed by Justice AM Khanwilkar quashed the April 22 order of the Karnataka HC that had quashed charges against an accused in the case for offences under the KCOCA.

The SC said: “The HC has glossed over the fact that the writ petition was filed only after the sanction was accorded by the competent authority under Section 24(2) and more so cognisance was also taken by the court of the offence of organised crime committed by the members of organised crime syndicate, including the writ petitioner — to which there was no challenge.” — TNS