Journalist Gauri Lankesh Murder Accused Shrikant Pangarkar Wins Jalna Civic Polls

Key Points:

Shrikant Pangarkar won the Jalna Municipal Corporation election in Maharashtra as an independent candidate on January 15, 2026. Pangarkar is an accused in the 2017 murder of journalist Gauri Lankesh, a victory that has triggered renewed debate over undertrial politicians contesting and winning elections.

The results of the civic polls showed Pangarkar securing the Ward 13 seat by a margin of 2,621 votes, defeating candidates from the Bharatiya Janata Party and other parties. The Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena did not field a candidate in the ward, turning the contest into a multi-cornered fight that significantly shaped the electoral outcome.

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After the results were declared, visuals of Pangarkar celebrating with supporters circulated widely on social media, drawing sharp reactions given his legal status and the seriousness of the charges against him. Responding to questions, Pangarkar said there had been no conviction against him so far, asserting that the legal process is still underway.

His victory comes even as the criminal case linked to the killing of Gauri Lankesh remains under trial. Lankesh, a journalist and activist known for her outspoken criticism of right-wing politics, was shot dead outside her home in Bengaluru’s Rajarajeshwari Nagar on September 5, 2017. The assassination sparked nationwide outrage and intensified debates on press freedom, dissent, and political intolerance in India.

Pangarkar was later named as an accused in the case and was granted bail by the Karnataka High Court on September 4, 2024. His political career predates the controversy. He served as a corporator in the Jalna municipal council from 2001 to 2006, when the Shiv Sena was still undivided. After being denied a party ticket in 2011, he joined the Hindu Janjagruti Samiti, a right-wing organisation.

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In August 2018, Pangarkar was arrested by the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) following the seizure of crude bombs and weapons from multiple locations across the state. He was booked under the Explosives Act, the Explosive Substances Act, and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).

Ahead of the November 2024 Maharashtra Assembly elections, Pangarkar briefly joined the Shiv Sena led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. The move drew widespread criticism, prompting Shinde to place Pangarkar’s induction into the party on hold.

Despite the pending criminal cases and the political controversy surrounding him, Pangarkar’s win in the Jalna civic polls has once again raised questions about the role of undertrial candidates in India’s electoral democracy and the broader implications for democratic accountability.

[VP]

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