Vinay Kulkarni, a sitting Congress MLA and former minister, has been sentenced to life imprisonment by a special court in Bengaluru for his role in the murder of Yogesh Gowda, a BJP zilla panchayat member.
The verdict was delivered by a People’s Representatives Special Court, which convicted Kulkarni along with 15 others for criminal conspiracy and murder. Each of the 16 convicts has also been fined ₹30,000, while another accused in the case received a seven-year prison sentence. The ruling has significant political implications, as Kulkarni now faces the possibility of disqualification from the Karnataka Assembly.
The case dates back to June 15, 2016, when Yogesh Gowda was brutally killed at a gym in Dharwad. He was attacked and hacked to death by hired assailants in what investigators later described as a premeditated and politically motivated murder. At the time, Kulkarni was serving as a minister, and he was subsequently named as the main conspirator behind the killing.
According to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), Kulkarni allegedly orchestrated the murder to eliminate Gowda, whom he viewed as a rising political rival in the Dharwad region. The case was initially handled locally but was transferred to the CBI in 2019 following demands from Gowda’s family and political pressure. The agency later filed a supplementary chargesheet in 2020, formally identifying Kulkarni as the mastermind.
Kulkarni’s legal journey in the case has been complex. He was arrested by the CBI in 2020 and granted bail by the Supreme Court of India in 2021 under strict conditions, including a restriction on entering Dharwad district. However, his bail was cancelled in June 2025 after allegations surfaced that he had attempted to influence witnesses and interfere with the investigation.
He later sought bail again in early 2026, which was initially denied by the High Court. The Supreme Court eventually granted him bail in February 2026 after noting that all key witnesses had been examined. Despite this, the trial proceeded, culminating in the recent conviction and sentencing.
The judgment underscores the judiciary’s stance on politically sensitive criminal cases and adds to a broader pattern of legal scrutiny involving elected representatives. For the Congress party in Karnataka, the conviction presents an immediate electoral and organisational challenge, particularly in Dharwad, where a by-election may be necessitated if Kulkarni is formally disqualified.
