Gauri Lankesh Murder Accused Removed From Shinde Sena After His Re-Induction (image:x.com/iamharmeetK)
Following the public outrage, Maharashtra Chief Minister on Sunday has cancelled the appointment of Shrikant Pangarkar, the accused in the murder of journalist Gauri Lankesh into the Shiv Sena. Shinde who also serves as the leader of the party announced that the appointment was “null and void”.
Ahead of the Assembly polls, former party member Pangarkar rejoined Shinde Sena on Friday. He was inducted into the party fold in the presence of former state minister and his “political guru”, Arjun Khotkar. Soon he was appointed as the party’s poll campaign in-charge for the Jalna Assembly constituency.
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“Pangarkar is a former Shiv Sainik and has returned to the party. He has been nominated as the chief of the Jalna Assembly poll campaign,” Khotkar told the media.
However, massive outrage prompted the party to resist from the move.
It was on September 5, 2017 Gauri Lankesh, a prominent journalist, was shot dead outside her residence in Karnataka capital Bengaluru. The investigation conducted by police in Karnataka along with the support of agencies in Maharashtra has arrested several people connected to Sanatan Sanstha and other outfits for the murder.
Pangarkar received bail from the Karnataka High Court on September 4. He is also accused in the 2018 Nalasopara arms haul case, in which he was granted bail earlier. Both cases are undergoing trial.
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A former Jalna municipal councillor Pangarkar associated with the undivided Shiv Sena in 1996 and later rose in the positions as Shakha Pramukh and Vibhag Pramukh. In 2011, he quit and joined Hindu Janajagruti Samithi, a right-wing organisation.
As per the local reports, Pangarkar who currently resides in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar is involved in the hotel and real estate business, and also runs a ration shop.
