A major witness in the 2017 Gauri Lankesh murder case has recanted his testimony, claiming it was made under police duress.
Businessman Madetira Thimmaiah, 46, who had previously testified that he was aware of the plans of a key accused, has now turned hostile.
Thimmaiah initially stated that he knew the accused, Bangera, who was allegedly in contact with several men from Maharashtra, and that they had met in Bangera’s office in Karnataka. However, while appearing before a special Karnataka Control of Organised Crime Act (KCOCA) Court, Thimmaiah claimed his confession was coerced by the police, reported The Times of India.
Gauri Lankesh, a prominent journalist and editor, was fatally shot at her Bengaluru residence on the night of September 5, 2017.
Known for her incisive writing and outspoken views, Lankesh was the editor of the weekly Lankesh Patrike, an "anti-establishment" publication. She had faced criticism for her stance against the communal politics of the Sangh Parivar in Karnataka.
The chargesheet in her murder case described the killing as an "organized crime" orchestrated by individuals linked to the Sanatan Sanstha, a radical right-wing Hindutva organization.