Justice Delayed: Gauri Lankesh and Kalburgi Trials Crawl After Years

This week, as markers of grief returned for journalist-activist Gauri Lankesh and scholar M.M. Kalburgi, their court trials—meant to deliver justice—felt no closer to resolution. Nine years after Lankesh was shot dead and 11 since Kalburgi’s killing, the legal machinery grinds slowly, leaving families and supporters in agonizing limbo.

A Glacial Pace in Court

In the Gauri Lankesh case, the prosecution has let go of 130 witnesses and called 220 so far—with another 180 still waiting. The court meets just four days a month. Senior SIT officials cling to hope, suggesting the trial might wrap in eight to ten months. But hope feels thin when seven judges have already cycled through.

For Kalburgi’s case, the pace is even more disheartening. The last hearing was in April 2026; the next isn’t until September 23. Only 33 witnesses have been examined, with 77 still pending. Shashidhar Todkar, a close associate of Kalburgi, doesn’t hide his despair. “At this rate, the trial will go on forever,” he said. “It has been over a decade. The very slow pace is very disheartening.”

Bail, Politics, and Patience Wearing Thin

All accused walk free on bail—and some aren’t lying low. Srikanth Pangarkar, a former city councillor in Jalna, Maharashtra, and an accused in the Gauri case, won his seat again in January 2026 while out on bail. SIT sources say the accused do show up to court regularly, but that’s little comfort to those waiting for answers.

Kavita Lankesh, Gauri’s sister, spoke at a memorial this week—her voice heavy with loss. Her mother, Indira Lankesh, died earlier this year without seeing justice served. “A proposal for setting up a special court for speedy trial of the case also did not bear fruit,” Kavita lamented. The pain of waiting has already outlasted lifetimes.

“At this rate, the trial will go on forever. It has been over a decade now since he was killed. The very slow pace of the trial is very disheartening.”
— Shashidhar Todkar, close associate of M.M. Kalburgi

Linked Cases, Lingering Questions

The same SIT that cracked Gauri’s case uncovered ties to the murders of rationalists Narendra Dabholkar (2013) and Govind Pansare (2015), pointing to an alleged right-wing conspiracy. But progress in one case hasn’t sped up the others. Most accused in those cases are also on bail, and closure remains distant for every family involved.

As remembrance events unfolded—including a “GenZ day” honoring Gauri’s legacy—the gap between memory and justice felt wider than ever. The courts move slowly; the world does not. And for those left behind, patience is a currency long spent.