Karnataka HC grants bail to ex-minister Vinay Kulkarni, others in Yogeesh Gowda murder case

BENGALURU: The Karnataka High Court has heard and granted bail to Congress leader Vinay Kulkarni, who is serving life imprisonment, along with Chandrashekar Indi and others in connection with the murder of Dharwad BJP leader Yogesh Gowda.

A division bench of Justices Mohammed Nawaz and G Basavaraj allowed the applications seeking suspension of sentence and bail. The court granted bail to Vinay Kulkarni, Chandrashekar Indi, M Dinesh, S Ashwath, KS Sunil, Nazir Ahmed, Shanawaz, K Nutan, and C Harshit. All of them had been suspended from duty in connection with the case.

The bench also allowed the interim application seeking suspension of the seven-year sentence imposed on Channakeshava Tengarikara, a police officer. The order was pronounced by the division bench on Thursday.

On April 17, a special court sentenced Congress MLA and former minister Vinay Kulkarni to life imprisonment for the 2016 murder of BJP leader Yogesh Gowda.

The Special Court of People’s Representatives in Bengaluru has sentenced 16 criminals, including former minister Vinay Kulkarni, to life imprisonment. After a long hearing, special court judge Santosh Gajanan Bhatt heard the final arguments of both parties and announced the order.

Yogesh Gowda was murdered in his own gym in Dharwad in 2016. There was a huge debate in the political circles after the CBI took over the investigation of this case. However, the court ordered life imprisonment and compensation, including for former minister and MLA Vinay Kulkarni.

Gowda (26), a BJP zilla panchayat member from Hebballi constituency, was murdered on June 15, 2016, at Dharwad. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) took over the investigation on September 24, 2019, and arrested Kulkarni on November 5, 2020. Kulkarni has denied the allegations levelled against him.

The CBI has alleged that Kulkarni had personal enmity and political rivalry with Gowda, who rejected their offer to withdraw from the Zila panchayat elections in 2016. (ANI)