In a significant development in the Gauri Lankesh murder case, a Bengaluru court granted bail to Sharad Bhausaheb Kalaskar, the final accused still in custody. The decision, made by Principal City Civil and Sessions Judge B. Muralidhara Pai on January 8, 2025, allows Kalaskar’s release on a personal bond under strict conditions. With this ruling, 17 out of the 18 accused are now out on bail, with one individual still absconding.

The case revolves around the murder of Gauri Lankesh, a prominent journalist known for her criticism of right-wing ideologies. She was shot dead outside her Bengaluru home on September 5, 2017. Kalaskar, who had been in custody since 2018, was accused of playing a key role in training other suspects in bomb-making and weapon handling. Despite the prosecution’s opposition to his bail based on his previous conviction for the murder of rationalist Narendra Dabholkar, the court ruled that his continued detention violated his constitutional rights, especially as most remaining witnesses were law enforcement personnel involved in the investigation.

The case has garnered national attention, largely due to the claims that the accused were part of a secretive organization with aims to establish a “Hindu Rashtra.” Despite the growing concerns, the court’s decision marks a pivotal moment in the long-running trial, with the majority of those involved now out on bail.