Ahead of his scheduled testimony in the court, a key witness in the Gauri Lankesh murder case alleged receiving a threatening phone call.
According to The News Minute, the witness, a 55-year-old businessman from Belagavi district, was scheduled to appear before a special court in Bengaluru on May 27. He was supposed to identify the accused who were allegedly involved in the murder of the journalist.
However, the following day, he informed the court about receiving a threatening phone call. His statement has been taken into record.
Another witness has turned hostile after he stated his earlier testimonies were made under police pressure. In 2018, the 37-year-old had previously admitted participating in arms and explosives training camps organised by members of Hindutva organisations, who are allegedly accused in the Gauri Lankesh murder case.
Kannada journalist and vocal critic of right-wing ideologies, Gauri Lankesh, was shot dead on September 5, 2017, in front of her house in Bengaluru by a former Sri Rama Sene worker, Parashuram Waghmore.
The prosecution claims that Kalaskar played a role in training other defendants in weapon handling and bomb-making.
During the course of the trial, 17 people, including the mastermind, Amol Kale, have been granted bail. In January, the Bengaluru court granted bail to the final accused, Sharad Bhausaheb Kalaskar.
