No party post to accused in Gauri Lankesh murder case: Shinde-led Sena

Ahead of the Maharashtra assembly polls, Pangarkar joined the Shinde-led Shiv Sena on Friday in the presence of party leader and former state minister Arjun Khotkar.

Mumbai: Amid heavy criticism, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde stepped in on Sunday as the induction Shrikant Pangarkar—an accused linked to the murder of journalist-activist Gauri Lankesh and the Nalasopara arms-ammunition haul case—into the Shiv Sena sparked off a major political issue in the poll-bound state. 

Pangarkar was welcomed back into the party on Friday in Jalna by senior Shiv Sena leader and former minister Arjun Khotkar. 

As of now, Pangarkar is on bail in both the cases. 

In fact, Pangarkar was a municipal councillor in Jalna from 2001-06 as part of the undivided Shiv Sena. Later, he became associated with right-wing organisations. 

"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 reporters.

However, as the criticism grew louder, Shiv Sena secretary Bhausaheb Chaudhury said that Shinde had directed that any post given to Pangarkar should be rescinded.

However, the CM did not specify whether Pangarkar would remain in the Shiv Sena or not. 

Gauri Lankesh, journalist-activist was shot dead outside her residence in Bengaluru on 5 September, 2017. She worked as an editor in Lankesh Patrike, a Kannada weekly started by her father P Lankesh, and ran her own weekly called Gauri Lankesh Patrike.