Hans News Service Bengaluru

TheKarnataka High Court on Friday granted bail to former Minister and Congress leader Vinay Kulkarni in the 2016 murder case of BJP leader Yogesh Gowda. The court suspended both his sentence and conviction pending disposal of his appeal, a move that could pave the way for the restoration of his Assembly membership.

A Division Bench comprising Justice Mohammad Nawaz and Justice G. Basavaraja ordered Kulkarni’s release on a personal bond of Rs5 lakh along with a surety of the same amount. The court also directed that he should not leave the country without prior permission.

Besides Kulkarni, the High Court granted bail to nine other convicted persons in the case. They include Chandrashekhar Indi alias Chandu Mama, Dinesh, Ashwath, Sunil, Nazir Ahmed, Shanawaz, Nuthan, Harshith and Channakeshav Tingarikar. The case relates to the murder of BJP leader Yogesh Gowda, who was hacked to death in Dharwad on June 15, 2016. Following allegations of political involvement, the investigation was transferred to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

On April 17, 2026, a Special Court in Bengaluru convicted Vinay Kulkarni, holding him guilty of murder and criminal conspiracy. The court sentenced him to life imprisonment. It also imposed a seven-year prison term for destruction of evidence and levied a fine of Rs30,000. The trial court further directed that compensation amounting to Rs16 lakh be paid to the victim’s children and brother.

Following the conviction, Kulkarni lost his membership of the Karnataka Legislative Assembly. He subsequently challenged the verdict before the High Court.

With the High Court suspending the conviction and sentence while admitting his appeal, legal experts say the order could enable Kulkarni to seek restoration of his MLA status, subject to the applicable legal provisions and further proceedings.