Yogeesh Gowda murder case: Congress's Vinay Kulkarni gets life imprisonment
What's the story
A special court in Bengaluru has sentenced Congress MLA Vinay Kulkarni to life imprisonment for his involvement in the 2016 murder of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Yogesh Gowda. The verdict was pronounced by special court judge Santosh Gajanan Bhat. Along with Kulkarni, 15 others were convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment for their roles in the crime.
Crime details
BJP leader murdered at gym
Gowda, a BJP leader and former member of the Dharwad Zila Panchayat, was murdered at his gym in Dharwad on June 15, 2016. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) took over the case and filed a chargesheet accusing Kulkarni and others of criminal conspiracy, murder, destruction of evidence, among other offenses. The accused were convicted under Sections 302 (murder) and 120B (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). Kulkarni was arrested by the CBI on November 5, 2020.
Bail
Supreme Court granted him conditional bail
The Supreme Court granted him conditional bail the following year in August. However, on June 7, 2025, the top court canceled his bail, observing that there was credible evidence that he might attempt to contact or influence witnesses during the trial. Charges were then framed against the accused on May 26, 2023. On April 15, the court held that the accused had entered into a criminal conspiracy to murder Gowda.