The Karnataka High Court has concluded hearings and reserved its order on a fresh bail petition filed by Congress legislator Vinay Kulkarni. Kulkarni, the Dharwad MLA, is an accused in the high-profile 2016 murder of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) member Yogesh Gowda.
The Case and The Accused
Vinay Kulkarni is among 21 individuals accused in the killing of Yogesh Gowda. The victim, a BJP member, was murdered at his gym in Dharwad in 2016 by assailants who are alleged to have been hired for the crime. Notably, prior to the attack, Gowda had reportedly received an anonymous letter warning him of a threat to his life.
This is not Kulkarni's first attempt to secure bail in this long-running case. He had previously been granted bail in 2021. However, the Supreme Court cancelled that bail on June 6, 2025. The apex court took this step after allegations surfaced that Kulkarni had attempted to influence witnesses, a clear violation of his bail conditions. On similar grounds, a special court trying the case also cancelled the bail of one of his associates, Chandrashekar Indi.
Arguments For and Against Bail
During the recent hearing before Justice Sunil Dutt Yadav, Senior Advocate C V Nagesh, representing Kulkarni, put forward several arguments for granting bail. He emphasized a significant change in circumstances since the bail was cancelled. Nagesh stated that most witnesses, except the Investigating Officer, have already been examined, thereby reducing the risk of witness tampering.
"The question of meddling with justice is certainly not there," Nagesh argued. He also pointed out that the prosecution's case alleges that his co-accused also interfered with witnesses, yet that individual has been granted bail by the court. The senior advocate further submitted that Kulkarni is neither accused of being one of the direct assailants nor was he present at the crime scene. He highlighted that those who are alleged by the prosecution to have actually carried out the assault have already been granted bail, leaving Kulkarni as the sole accused currently behind bars.
Opposing the plea, the prosecution counsel reiterated its strong stance against granting bail. The counsel argued that when bail has been specifically revoked by the Supreme Court for witness tampering, it creates a strong precedent against granting it again. The prosecution maintained that the very act of having his bail cancelled on such serious grounds should render Kulkarni ineligible for bail consideration afresh.
Awaiting the Judgment
After carefully considering the submissions from both sides, Justice Sunil Dutt Yadav of the Karnataka High Court reserved the order on Friday. The court will now deliberate on the legal arguments and the facts of the case before pronouncing its judgment on whether Vinay Kulkarni will be released on bail or must remain in judicial custody as the trial continues.
The outcome is keenly awaited, as it involves a sitting MLA and a politically sensitive murder case that has been ongoing for nearly a decade. The court's decision will set a significant legal precedent regarding bail in cases where the accused is alleged to have violated earlier bail conditions.
