The Karnataka High Court on Friday (September 18) suspended the life sentences imposed on seven persons convicted by a trial court for the 2016 murder of BJP leader and Dharwad Zilla Panchayat member Yogesh Gowda, holding that they were entitled to be released on bail pending disposal of their criminal appeals.
A Division Bench of Justice Mohammad Nawaz and Justice G Basavaraja passed the order on applications filed by the seven convicts (appellants) as part of their appeal challenging the trial court verdict.
The Court also imposed various conditions for their release on bail. The appellants have been directed to execute a bond for ₹5 lakh each, along with two sureties for the like sum.
They were also directed to deposit the entire fine amount imposed on them by the trial court, not leave India without the prior permission of the High Court and appear before the High Court or trial court whenever directed.
Yogesh Gowda was hacked to death at a gym in Dharwad on June 15, 2016.
A Special CBI Court in Bengaluru had, on April 17, 2026, sentenced former Congress MLA Vinay Kulkarni and 15 others to life imprisonment after finding them guilty of conspiring to murder Gowda.
They were convicted under Sections 120-B (criminal conspiracy), 143 (unlawful assembly), 147, 148 (rioting with deadly armed weapon), 201 (causing the disappearance of evidence) and 302 (murder) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC),
The trial court directed that all sentences would run concurrently and ordered that ₹16 lakh from the fine amount be paid as compensation to Gowda's children.
The present appeals before the High Court have been filed by seven such convicts (accused Nos. 2 to 7 and accused No. 18).
Vinay Kulkarni has also filed an appeal in the matter. He and eight other convicts were granted bail by the High Court on July 31, after their life sentences were suspended.
On Friday, seven more convicts were given such interim relief.
Advocates Lakshmikanth G, Parameshwarappa C and Bhadravadi Siddeshwara appeared for the appellants (convicts).
Special Public Prosecutor P Prasanna Kumar represented the CBI, while advocate Deepak Shetty appeared for an impleading applicant.
[Read Order]