By Express News Service

HUBBALI: Senior journalist Gauri Lankesh was convicted in a defamation case filed by MP Pralhad Joshi.

Pronouncing the judgement on Monday, the second Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC) court sentenced her to six months imprisonment besides imposing a Rs 10,000 fine. However, she avoided the arrest by getting anticipatory bail from the same court.

Joshi and BJP leader Umesh Dushi had filed separate defamation cases objecting to a report against BJP leaders published by Lankesh in her periodical on January 23, 2008.

The court found that she failed to provide any substantial evidence for the writing.

Gouri said: “The court verdict is a temporary setback to me, but I will challenge it in the higher court. Many people thought that I will go to jail, but I have disappointed them as I managed to get bail.”

In 2008, Gouri Lankesh had published an article ‘Darodegilada BJP galu’ allegedly against MP Prahlad Joshi and BJP leaders Umesh Dushi, Shivanand Bhat and Venkatesh Mestry in a tabloid that she ran in 2008.

Devanand Jagapur who was accused number one in the case filed by Dushi was acquitted by the same court. But the court convicted Gauri, the accused number two in the case.

Gauri was the sole accused in the case filed by Pralhad Joshi. The court ordered six months imprisonment and Rs 5,000 fine on each of the cases on her.