Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (SP)

Bengaluru, Dec 22: A petition has been filed in the state high court, seeking directions to the government to entrust case pertaining to the murder of Dharwad zilla panchayat member from BJP, Yogesh Ghowda, to Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), and to prosecute the government officials who tried to protect state mines and geology department, Vinay Kulkarni and other guilty persons in the case.

The petition was filed by mother of slain Yogesh Gowda, Tungamma, and his brother, Gurunath Gowda. 17 entities including state and central governments, state director general of police, police commissioner of Hubballi - Dharwad city, and minister, Vinay Kulkarni.

Presiding officer of the single judge bench, Justice N K Sudheendra Rao, who heard the petition on Thursday December 21, posted the next hearing to December 28, after ordering service of notices to union home ministry cabinet secretary, secretary in personnel, public grievance and pension department, as well as Central Bureau of Investigation. The case stands adjourned to December 28.

Yogesh Gowda had been killed in a barbaric manner on June 15, 2016. The state police who investigated the case have filed final report. The case is now being heard in the fourth additional sessions court.

The mother of Gowda said that minister, Vinay Kulkarni, was involved with this act, and said that it is the responsibility of police to hold impartial investigation into the case. She said that the police,under political pressure, have been protecting the banana growers. She also accused police of concealing several things in investigation report to protect the guilty.