Congress Dharwad MLA Among 19 Convicted In BJP Taluka Panchayat Member Murder Case

Last Updated:April 15, 2026, 18:34 IST

Karnataka court convicts Congress MLA Vinay Kulkarni and 18 others for 2016 murder of BJP leader Yogesh Gowda, two acquitted, sentencing to be announced tomorrow.

A Karnataka court on Wednesday convicted senior Congress Leader and Dharwad MLA Vinay Kulkarni for killing BJP Zilla Panchayat member Yogesh Gowda murder in 2016.

The Yogesh Gowda murder case dates back to June 15, 2016, when BJP Zilla Panchayat member Yogesh Gowda was brutally hacked to death by assailants inside a gym in Dharwad, triggering massive political controversy in Karnataka.

The CBI took over the probe on the recommendation of the BJP-led Karnataka government on September 24, 2019.

The central agency recorded statements of 113 witnesses, filed a chargesheet naming 21 accused, alleging a conspiracy involving hired killers and political rivalry. Kulkarni was arrested in 2020 and received bail in 2021.

Two accused—Basavaraj (A-1) and Shivanand Srisail Biradar (A-17)—turned approvers and were made key witnesses in the case.

Kulkarni, sitting MLA from Dharwad constituency, spent over nine months in jail before receiving bail from the Supreme Court. He was accused of influencing witnesses, following which the CBI sought cancellation of his bail, alleging violation of bail conditions.

Kulkarni, was serving as the Chairman of the Karnataka Urban Water Supply and Drainage Board, but later surrendered before the authorities and was recently released on bail again.

According to PTI, Judge Santhosh Gajanan Bhat on Wednesday found Vinay Kulkarni along with 18 others guilty. However, two accused were acquitted.

The quantum of punishment for the 19 accused will be announced on Thursday.

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