Gauri Lankesh Murder Accused Shrikant Pangarkar Wins Jalna Civic Seat

• Shrikant Pangarkar, an accused in the 2017 Gauri Lankesh murder case, won the Ward 13 seat in the Jalna Municipal Corporation elections as an independent candidate.
• Pangarkar secured victory with a margin of 2,621 votes, defeating BJP and other party contenders in a multi-cornered contest.
• His win has sparked debate on the role of undertrial politicians in electoral democracy, especially as the Gauri Lankesh murder case is still ongoing.
• Pangarkar, who was granted bail by the Karnataka High Court on September 4, 2024, stated that there has been no conviction against him so far.
• He has a political past, serving as a corporator from 2001-2006, and was previously arrested by the Maharashtra ATS in 2018 on bomb and weapons charges.

Why It Matters: Gauri Lankesh murder accused Shrikant Pangarkar's civic election win reignites debate on undertrial politicians.