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Supreme Court today granted bail to Congress leader & former Karnataka Minister Vinay Kulkarni who was arrested on November 5, 2020, in relation to the murder of BJP worker, Yogesh Gowda.

While directing production of Kulkarni before the Trial Court within three days the Division Bench of Justice UU Lalit and Justice Ajay Rastogi has also directed the Trial Court to grant bail subject to conditions imposed by the Court.

Kulkarni has further been restrained from entering into district Dhrawd by the Apex court so as to ensure that he does not impede in the conduct and investigation. 

Court has further directed Kulkarni to mark his presence before the CBI ACP office twice a week.

Matter in Brief

Yogesh Gowda Goudar, a Zilla Panchayat member of the BJP from Hebballi constituency, was murdered by an armed gang at his gym in Saptapur in Dharwad on June 15, 2016. 

Subsequently, after his murder, the Dharwad Police subsequently arrested six persons and charge-sheeted them for the murder.

However, Gurunath Goudar, brother of Yogeeshgouda Goudar supported by BJP leaders, demanded a CBI investigation in the case which was finally fulfilled after the BJP-led government came to power in the State.

The CBI took over the investigation on September 24, 2019, identified and arrested eight other accused, and filed a charge sheet on May 20, 2020.

Vinay Kulkarni was arrested on November 5, 2020, and has been in judicial custody in the Hindalga Jail of Belagavi. His bail plea has been rejected twice, first by a lower court and then by the High Court. 

The CBI in February 2021 had filed a supplementary charge sheet in the CBI Special Court.  

On July 8, 2021, the Court had issued notice to the Central Bureau of Investigation and State of Karnataka in a bail plea filed by Vinay Kulkarni.