The Karnataka High Court has granted bail to Mohan Nayak N, an accused in the 2017 murder case of social activist and journalist Gauri Lankesh. Nayak is the first accused to get bail in this case.
The order was passed by a single bench of Justice S Vishwajit Shetty. Nayak has been asked to furnish a personal bond of Rs 1 lakh with two sureties of equal amount and appear before the trial court on all dates of hearing.
Nayak, the 11th accused in the murder case, was accused of conspiring with others and taking a house on rent at a deserted place in Ramnagar. He gave shelter to the second and third accused in the house. Accused numbers two and three are the actual assailants in the case itself.
Nayak is the first accused to get bail in this case. Justice S. The single bench of Vishwajeet Shetty accepted his bail plea. Nayak has been in custody since July 18, 2018.
Considering the delay, the court said, the petitioner has been in custody for more than five years although Section 22(4) of COCA provides for certain stringency in releasing on bail those accused who have been booked for punishable offences. Allegations have been made.
Under COCA, when there is undue delay in the trial and the material on record shows that the trial cannot be completed quickly then it cannot hamper the powers of the court to grant bail to the accused.