Congress leader and MLA Vinay Kulkarni, recently sentenced to life imprisonment by a special court for the murder of BJP leader Yogesh Gowda, has filed an appeal challenging his conviction at the Karnataka High Court. Kulkarni questions the life sentence and the conviction order, seeking a stay on the sentence and requesting bail. Concerned about losing his MLA position, he has urged the High Court for an immediate stay on the sentence, with the plea likely to be heard next week.
During the upcoming hearing, the Karnataka High Court is expected to review arguments from the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) regarding the case. In his appeal, Kulkarni has asked for the order awarding life imprisonment to be set aside. Meanwhile, in Dharwad, hundreds of Kulkarni’s supporters gathered for a silent protest march, alleging a political conspiracy against him.
In 2016, a special court in Bengaluru sentenced Vinay Kulkarni and 16 others to life imprisonment for criminal conspiracy and the murder of BJP leader Yogesh Gowda in Dharwad district, imposing a fine of Rs 30,000 each. Kulkarni, accused number 15 in the case, was serving as a minister when the allegations emerged, and the case was transferred to the CBI by the state government. The incident occurred after Yogesh Gowda was attacked and killed at a gym in Dharwad city on June 15, 2016, following a political challenge to Kulkarni.
Vinay Kulkarni, currently the Chairman of the Karnataka Urban Water Supply and Drainage Board, was arrested in 2020 and released on bail in 2021. However, his bail was revoked by the court after allegations of witness tampering. Kulkarni surrendered to the authorities and was later granted bail again.
