The whistle-blower involved in the murder case of BJP leader Yogesh Gowda denounced a silent procession held in Dharwad by supporters of Congress MLA Vinay Kulkarni, who was recently sentenced to life imprisonment. Basavaraj Koravar, the whistle-blower, accused Kulkarni’s supporters of trying to mislead the public by suggesting a conspiracy in the case. He expressed dissatisfaction with Speaker U.T. Khader for not disqualifying Kulkarni as an MLA despite the court’s life sentence verdict.
Koravar, speaking at a press conference in Dharwad, questioned the legitimacy of portraying the protest as a fight against a conspiracy rather than against the court’s decision. He demanded the immediate declaration of the Dharwad constituency seat as vacant following Kulkarni’s conviction. Koravar alleged that Kulkarni himself had attempted to influence the case, claiming efforts to reach a compromise with the deceased leader’s brother and offering inducements to Yogesh Gowda’s wife.
Amid escalating political tensions in the region, Koravar stated that all relevant audio and video evidence would be presented in court as part of the ongoing legal battle. The case, which involved the murder of Yogesh Gowda in 2016, saw Kulkarni arrested in 2020 and subsequently released on bail in 2021. Accused of tampering with witnesses, Kulkarni had his bail revoked by the court after the CBI alleged a violation of bail conditions. Following his surrender, Kulkarni was released on bail once again.
