Shrikant Pangarkar, one of the accused in the 2017 murder of journalist Gauri Lankesh, has won a seat in the Jalna Municipal Corporation elections in Maharashtra after contesting as an independent candidate.
Pangarkar emerged victorious from Ward 13, securing 2,661 votes. He defeated his nearest rival — a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate — by a margin of 184 votes, while the second runner-up received 2,477 votes. His win came despite strong competition from candidates fielded by major political parties.
Before this election, Pangarkar had previously served as a municipal councillor between 2001 and 2006. In 2011, after being denied a party ticket, he joined the Hindu Janajagruti Samiti. He later associated briefly with Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena ahead of the November 2024 Maharashtra Assembly elections.
Following his victory, Pangarkar celebrated with supporters, but his win quickly attracted controversy due to his alleged role in the Gauri Lankesh murder case.
Lankesh, a prominent journalist and activist, was shot dead outside her residence in Rajarajeshwari Nagar, Bengaluru, in September 2017. Investigations by multiple agencies concluded that the killing was carried out by a network of 18 individuals linked to right-wing extremist organisations.
Pangarkar was named as one of the accused in the conspiracy. In 2018, the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) arrested him after explosives were allegedly found at his residence. He was formally charged in 2021 along with others, including prime accused Amol Kale.
Reports indicated that several accused in the case were associated with Sanatan Sanstha, a Hindutva organisation based in Goa.
In September 2024, the Karnataka High Court granted Pangarkar bail despite charges under the Explosives Act, the Explosive Substances Act, and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).
