The Karnataka High Court vacation bench is reviewing the appeal petition of former Congress MLA Vinay Kulkarni regarding the case involving BJP leader Yogesh Gowda. The petitioner is challenging a life-term conviction and has requested a stay on the High Court’s verdict. The Division Bench, led by Justice Sachin Shankar Magadum and Justice Rajesh Rai, has postponed the matter to May 26.
Another accused, Chandrashekar Indi, has also filed an appeal petition in the same case. Vinay Kulkarni, who faced a cancellation of his MLA position following the conviction, was hopeful for bail and a stay on the conviction order. The hearing on the petition began with the counsel for the Central Bureau of Investigation requesting more time to file objections.
In a related development, the counsel representing Police Circle Inspector Channakeshava Tingarikar, sentenced to seven years’ imprisonment, argued that only bailable offences were applicable to his client. He sought bail for the accused, leading the bench to adjourn the matter to May 14 for further consideration. It is worth noting that Vinay Kulkarni is listed as accused number 15 in the case.
The Central Bureau of Investigation took over the case from the state government. The incident in question involved the murder of Yogesh Gowda by assailants in Dharwad city in 2016. Kulkarni, who was arrested in 2020 and later released on bail, faced allegations of witness tampering. The court, responding to the Central Bureau of Investigation’s request, revoked his bail due to alleged violation of bail conditions.
