Karnataka HC suspends life sentence of ex-Congress MLA Vinay Kulkarni in Yogesh Gowda murder case, grants bail

The Karnataka High Court on Friday suspended the life sentence imposed on former Congress MLA Vinay Kulkarni and eight other convicts in the 2016 murder of BJP leader Yogesh Gowda, holding that they are entitled to be released on bail pending disposal of their criminal appeals.

A Bench of Justices Mohammad Nawaz and G Basavaraja also suspended the seven-year sentence imposed on suspended police officer Channakeshava B Tingarikar (Accused No. 19) and ordered his release on bail.

During the hearing, Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) counsel Rahul Reddy pointed out that when Kulkarni had earlier been enlarged on bail, one of the conditions imposed was that he should not enter Dharwad district.

The Bench, however, observed,

"That was during the trial. All the witnesses have now been examined."

A Special CBI Court in Bengaluru had on April 17, 2026 sentenced Kulkarni and 15 others to life imprisonment after finding them guilty of conspiring to murder BJP leader Yogesh Gowda, who was hacked to death at a gym in Dharwad on June 15, 2016.

The trial court had convicted the accused under Sections 302 (murder) and 120B (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code after concluding that they had entered into a conspiracy to eliminate Gowda.

Besides life imprisonment for murder and conspiracy, the convicts were also sentenced for destruction of evidence, unlawful assembly and rioting. Suspended police officer Channakeshava B Tingarikar (A19) was sentenced to 7 years' imprisonment under Section 201 IPC for destruction of evidence.

The trial court directed that all sentences would run concurrently and ordered payment of ₹16 lakh from the fine amount as compensation to Gowda's children.

Kulkarni and co-accused Chandrasekhar Indi were acquitted of the charges under the Arms Act.

Kulkarni was arrested by the CBI on November 5, 2020, and was granted conditional bail by the Supreme Court in August 2021.

However, in June 2025, the Supreme Court cancelled his bail after finding prima facie material suggesting attempts to influence witnesses during the course of the trial.

Senior Advocates CV Nagesh, S Nagamuthu, MS Shyam Sundar, PP Hegde and Hasmath Pasha, along with Advocates S Sunil Kumar, Vandana P L, N A Kariappa and Sudhanva D S, appeared for the appellants.

Additional Solicitor General SV Raju and P Prasanna Kumar represented the CBI.