A Bengaluru court has granted bail to another accused in the 2017 killing of journalist Gauri Lankesh, marking a significant development in the case. 

On January 8, Principal City Civil and Sessions Judge Muralidhara Pai B granted bail to Sharad Bhausaheb Kalaskar. The court noted that Kalaskar had been in custody since September 2018, and with the trial unlikely to conclude soon, prolonged detention would violate his right to a speedy trial under Article 21 of the Constitution.

With this order, all 17 accused currently facing trial in the case are out on bail. The 18th accused, Vikas Patil, remains absconding and is yet to be apprehended.

Kalaskar had sought bail on grounds of innocence and parity, pointing out that most of his co-accused had already been granted bail. The prosecution opposed the plea, arguing that Kalaskar was a repeat offender with a history of criminal convictions, raising concerns about potential future offenses if released.

However, the court emphasized the principle of parity, stating, "As of today, all accused facing trial in the case, except the petitioner, are on bail. Therefore, the petitioner is entitled to bail on parity. Additionally, the petitioner has been in custody since September 4, 2018. The Hon’ble Supreme Court has repeatedly held that a speedy trial is a fundamental right implicit in Article 21, and undue delay in trial violates this right."

Previously, the Karnataka High Court had granted bail to several other accused in the case. In July 2024, three accused were granted bail, followed by four more in August, all citing parity with co-accused Mohan Nayak, who secured bail in December 2023 due to trial delays.

Journalist Gauri Lankesh was fatally shot outside her residence in West Bengaluru by motorcycle-borne assailants on the night of September 5, 2017. Her killing sparked widespread outrage and highlighted concerns about the safety of journalists in India.