Shrikant Pangarkar, an accused in the murder of journalist Gauri Lankesh, has joined the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena in Jalna, Maharashtra. Pangarkar, who was granted bail earlier this year after being arrested in 2018, is now set to campaign for the party in the upcoming assembly elections. This move has sparked controversy given the sensitive nature of the Lankesh murder case and Pangarkar’s alleged involvement.