Maharashtra municipal corporation polls: Gauri Lankesh murder case accused Shrikant Pangarkar wins from Jalna as Independent

A former Shiv Sena corporator, Pangarkar served as a councillor of the undivided Sena between 2001 and 2006. After being denied a ticket in the 2011 civic polls, he joined the Hindu Janjagruti Samiti.

He was arrested in 2018 in connection with the Gauri Lankesh murder case and was granted bail by the Karnataka High Court in 2024.

Ahead of the 2024 Maharashtra Assembly elections, Pangarkar briefly rejoined the Shiv Sena led by then Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. However, he was dropped from the party within a day following public outrage over his induction, given the serious criminal allegations against him. Pangarkar’s father had also served as a municipal corporator.

Pangarkar was arrested in two separate cases — by the Karnataka Police’s Special Investigation Team (SIT) in the Lankesh murder case, and by the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) in the Nallasopara arms haul case. He was lodged at Mumbai’s Arthur Road Jail before being released on bail in both cases. The trial is currently underway in the Nallasopara arms haul case.

The Nallasopara case stems from a 2018 ATS probe following the seizure of arms and ammunition. The ATS had alleged that the accused had conspired to disrupt the Sunburn music festival in Pune in December 2017 by throwing petrol bombs and stones, claiming the event was against “Hindu culture.” The plan was allegedly abandoned after one of the accused realised he was captured on CCTV footage.

In the Gauri Lankesh murder case, related to the journalist being shot dead outside her Bengaluru residence on September 5, 2017, investigators have alleged that Pangarkar played a role in advising the co-accused on precautions during the conspiracy. While the trial continues, all accused in both cases are currently out on bail.