Bengaluru, Aug 19 (IANS): A special court in Bengaluru on Thursday granted bail to former Karnataka minister Vinay Kulkarni in connection with the 2016 murder case of a BJP worker in Dharwad.

Kulkarni, who was minister in the Siddaramaiah-led Congress government, was accused of conspiring the murder his political opponent and zilla panchayat member Yogesh Gowda.

The Supreme Court had granted him bail in the murder case earlier but he had to stay in prison as he couldn't obtain bail regarding the destruction of evidence case.

Now, with the special court's order granting him conditional bail, Kulkarni would be released from prison in Belgavi where he has been lodged for the last nine months, but can't go to his native district Dharwad until the court approves.

Gowda was hacked to death on June 15, 2016 and though the family accused Kulkarni, then a minister, the Siddaramaiah government did not take any action against him.

The BJP carried out protests and made an issue in the elections. Former Chief Minister B.S. Yediyuppa vowed in election rallies that he would send Kulkarni to jail if the BJP is voted to power.

When the BJP came to power, the case was handed over to the CBI and Kulkarni and his relatives were arrested in connection with the case.