Gauri Lankesh murder case: Bengaluru Court frames charges against accused

A Bengaluru court on Saturday framed charges against eighteen accused in the murder of journalist Gauri Lankesh (Raja Rajeshwari Nagara PS v. Amola Khale)..Judge Anil B Katti framed charges under the Indian Penal Code, Arms Act and the Karnataka Control of Organised Crime Act (KCOCA) after the accused persons appeared via video conferencing from Bengaluru Central Prison, Yerwada Central Prison and Arthur Road Prison..Charges were framed under Sections 302 (murder), 120B (criminal conspiracy), 114 (Abettor present when offence is committed), 118 (Concealing design to commit offence), 109 (abetment), 201 (disappearance of evidence), 203 (false information), 204 (False personation), 35 (criminal knowledge or intention) of the Indian Penal Code;Sections 25(1), (25(1B), 27(1) (Punishment for using arms) of the Arms Act; andSections 3(1)(i), 3(2), 3(3), 3(4) (Punishment for organized crime) of the Karnataka Control of Organised Crime Act..After the charges were read over to the 18 accused persons in both Kannada and Marathi, they pleaded not guilty. While granting the counsel for the accused persons permission to meet them in the jail premises, the Court listed the matter for further hearing on December 8..This development comes shortly after the Supreme Court allowed an appeal against a judgment of the Karnataka High Court which had quashed the charges under the KCOCA against one of the accused in the case, Mohan Nayak..Gauri Lankesh murder: Supreme Court restores KCOCA charges against accused