Shift 3 Gauri Lankesh murder accused to Mumbai from Bengaluru: Bombay HC

Mumbai, Jan 15: The Bombay High Court Monday ordered that three accused in the Gauri Lankesh murder case be shifted from a Bengaluru jail to Mumbai's Arthur Road prison to enable them to file affidavits and defend a petition by the Maharashtra ATS seeking their custody in an arms haul case.

Justice Mridula Bhatkar gave the direction when hearing an application filed by the state Anti-Terrorism Squad seeking custody of the three accused — Amol Kale, Amit Baddi and Ganesh Miskin. The three are currently lodged at the central prison in Bengaluru after they were chargesheeted for their alleged role in the killing of writer-journalist Gauri Lankesh in 2017.

In October 2018, the ATS took custody of the three for their alleged involvement in a case pertaining to recovery of arms at Nalasopara on outskirts of Mumbai. They were then produced before a Mumbai sessions court, which remanded them in ATS custody for six days. The sessions court later refused to extend their police remand and sent them to judicial custody following which they were shifted to Bengaluru.

Special public prosecutor Raja Thakare Monday told the high court that the previous six-day police remand was not sufficient for the ATS in its investigation in the arms haul case and further custody of the trio was required.

Justice Bhatkar, after hearing brief arguments, issued notices to the three accused through the superintendent of the central prison in Bengaluru.

"It is directed that these respondents/accused are to be transferred from the central prison in Bangalore to Arthur Road jail in Mumbai to enable them to reply and defend this case," the court said in its order.

The judge directed the state government and additional director general of ATS to make necessary security arrangements for transferring the accused from Bengaluru to Mumbai. The HC posted the petition for further hearing on January 28.

PTI