Daijiworld Media Network – Bengaluru
Bengaluru, Jul 31: In a significant development in the BJP leader Yogesh Gowda murder case, the Karnataka High Court on Friday, July 31, granted interim bail to former Congress MLA Vinay Kulkarni. The court also suspended the life imprisonment sentence awarded to him by a trial court earlier this year.
The order was passed by a division bench comprising justice Mohammad Nawaz and justice G Basavaraja, who were hearing a criminal appeal filed by Kulkarni challenging his conviction. The bench had previously reserved its verdict on July 9 after hearing arguments from both sides.
While keeping the conviction in abeyance, the high court directed Kulkarni to furnish a surety bond of Rs 5 lakh and imposed a set of conditions, including a bar on travelling abroad without prior permission. However, the court did not extend the trial court's previous restriction that prohibited him from entering Dharwad district.
Kulkarni, who represented the Dharwad Rural constituency, is currently lodged in the Bengaluru Central Prison. Following his conviction by a special court for elected representatives on April 17, 2026, he was disqualified from his membership in the Karnataka Legislative Assembly, and a by-election for his seat was widely anticipated. Legal observers note that the high court's decision to temporarily stay the conviction could have major political implications, potentially allowing him to stake a claim to the MLA post again, subject to further legal proceedings.
Meanwhile, sources indicate that the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which probed the high-profile case, is likely to approach the Supreme Court to challenge the high court's interim bail order.
BJP zilla panchayat member Yogesh Gowda was brutally murdered on June 15, 2016, at his gym in Dharwad. Although the local police initially investigated the case and filed charges against six individuals, the probe was later handed over to the CBI.
The central agency uncovered a larger political conspiracy involving Kulkarni, his uncle Chandrashekhar Indi, and a local police inspector, who allegedly colluded to destroy evidence and frame innocent individuals. Following a detailed investigation, the CBI filed a charge sheet against 21 accused. The special court eventually found Kulkarni and 16 co-accused guilty, sentencing them to life imprisonment.