New Delhi, Jan. 9 -- An accused in the high-profile murder of journalist Gauri Lankesh is contesting the upcoming local elections in Maharashtra. Shrikant Pangarkar has filed his nomination as an independent candidate for the Jalna Municipal Corporation polls, scheduled for 15 January.

Pangarkar is contesting the Ward 13 seat. He faces rivals from the BJP and other parties. Notably, the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena has chosen not to field a candidate against him. This follows a controversy in late 2024 when Pangarkar briefly joined the party. Following public outcry, Shinde put his official membership on hold.

The case dates back to 5 September 2017, when Gauri Lankesh was shot dead outside her home in Bengaluru. Her murder triggered a n...