The political landscape in Karnataka witnessed a dramatic legal development on Friday after a special court in Bengaluru sentenced Congress MLA Vinay Kulkarni to life imprisonment in connection with the 2016 murder of BJP zilla panchayat member Yogesh Gowda.
The verdict was delivered by Judge Santhosh Gajanan Bhat of the Special Court for Cases Involving Elected Representatives. After examining years of investigation and trial proceedings, the court held Kulkarni guilty under Sections 302 (murder) and 120B (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code. The court concluded that the killing was not a spontaneous act but a carefully planned conspiracy.
Kulkarni, listed as accused number 15 in the chargesheet, was among 16 people who were awarded life imprisonment in the case. The court accepted the prosecution’s argument that the murder was orchestrated to eliminate a political rival who was gaining influence in the Dharwad region.
Along with Kulkarni, several others were also sentenced to life imprisonment for their roles in the conspiracy and execution of the crime. The convicted individuals include Vikram, Kirthi Kumar, Sandeep, Vinayak, Mahabaleshwar, Santosh, Dinesh M, Ashwath, Sunil KS, Nazeer Ahmed, Shahanawaz, Nuthan, Harshith, Chandrashekar Indi and Vikas Kalburgi.
Another accused, Channakeshav Tingarikar, who was serving as the investigating officer at the time of the incident, has been sentenced to seven years in prison. Meanwhile, Basavaraj Muttagi, the first accused in the case, was confirmed by the court as an approver.
The case dates back to June 15, 2016, when Yogesh Gowda was brutally murdered inside a gym in Dharwad. According to investigators, a group of hired attackers stormed the gym and carried out the killing. The incident shocked the region and quickly triggered allegations of political rivalry behind the murder. Members of Gowda’s family had earlier claimed that he had received threats to his life before the attack.
Initially, local police arrested six suspects soon after the incident. However, the victim’s family expressed dissatisfaction with the investigation and demanded a central probe. In 2019, during the tenure of the BJP government in the state, the case was handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation for further investigation.
The CBI later filed an additional chargesheet naming Vinay Kulkarni as a key conspirator in the murder plot. According to the agency, the killing was allegedly planned because Kulkarni did not want Yogesh Gowda to grow politically in Dharwad, which was considered Kulkarni’s political stronghold.
The investigation also revealed attempts to influence witnesses during the trial. The chargesheet mentioned that Kulkarni allegedly contacted Shivanand Shrishaila Biradar, an accused who later turned approver, and tried to pressure him into giving statements favourable to the defence. Biradar eventually turned hostile during the court proceedings.
Taking serious note of misleading testimony during the trial, the court has allowed the initiation of perjury proceedings against several witnesses. The Registrar of the City Civil Court has been directed to file a case under Section 340 of the Criminal Procedure Code against individuals who allegedly gave false statements.
Among those facing possible perjury proceedings are police officers Shivananda Chalavadi, Babu Katagi and Shankaragouda Basanagouda Patil, along with independent witnesses including Dr Dattatreya Gudaganti, Anand Uddannavar, Vinayaka Binjiyavar, Mohan Mulmuttal, Vivekananda Dalawai, Natraj Desai and Vijay Kulkarni.
During the course of the investigation, the CBI arrested Vinay Kulkarni in 2020. He was granted bail by the Supreme Court of India in August 2021. However, the bail was cancelled on June 6, 2025 after the court found that he had violated certain conditions. Later, in January 2026, the High Court of Karnataka rejected his fresh bail application, observing that reconsidering bail would not be appropriate at that stage of the proceedings.
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The court also acquitted two individuals, Vasudeva Rama Nilekani and Somashekar Basappa Nyamagouda, giving them the benefit of doubt due to insufficient evidence.
In addition to the prison sentences, the court directed that ₹16 lakh be paid as compensation to the children of Yogesh Gowda to support their education and future needs.
For Gowda’s family, the verdict brings a measure of closure after nearly a decade of legal proceedings. The judgment also sends a strong message that political influence cannot override the rule of law, even in cases involving powerful public figures.