Supreme Court refuses to cancel bail to Gauri Lankesh murder accused

New Delhi, August 24

The Supreme Court has dismissed a plea of Kavitha Lankesh against a Karnataka High Court order that granted bail to an accused in the murder case of her elder sister and journalist Gauri Lankesh.

A Bench of Justices Bela M Trivedi and SC Sharma noted that the accused, Mohan Nayak, has cooperated with the trial court in the proceedings and has not sought any adjournment.

It said, “Under the circumstances, we are not inclined to interfere with the impugned orders passed by the HC.”

“However, it is directed that the trial court shall expeditiously conduct the trial and all parties shall cooperate with the trial court. It goes without saying that if the accused does not cooperate or asks for unnecessary adjournment(s) or commits breach of any condition, the state of Karnataka or the complainant shall be at liberty to apply for cancellation of bail, and if such application is filed, it shall be decided on its own merits,” the Bench said.