Bengaluru, April 25 Congress leader and MLA Vinay Kulkarni, who was recently sentenced to life imprisonment by a special court in connection with the murder of BJP leader Yogesh Gowda, on Saturday filed an appeal before the Karnataka High Court challenging his conviction.
In his petition, Kulkarni has questioned the life sentence awarded by the Special Court for elected representatives, as well as the conviction order passed by the trial court. He has sought a stay on the sentence and requested that he be granted bail.
Citing the possibility of losing his MLA position, Kulkarni has urged the High Court to grant an immediate stay on the sentence. Sources indicated that the plea is likely to come up for hearing next week.
During the hearing, the court is expected to consider arguments from the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which investigated the case. In his appeal, Kulkarni has requested that the order awarding life imprisonment be set aside.
Meanwhile, hundreds of supporters of Congress leader and MLA Vinay Kulkarni gathered in Dharwad on Saturday to take part in a silent protest march, alleging a political conspiracy against him.
It may be recalled that a special court in Bengaluru sentenced Vinay Kulkarni and 16 other convicts to life imprisonment and imposed a fine of Rs 30,000 each for offences of criminal conspiracy and the murder of BJP leader Yogesh Gowda in Dharwad district of Karnataka in 2016.
The case dates back to 2016, and Vinay Kulkarni was listed as accused number 15. The case was handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) by the state government. At the time the allegations surfaced, Kulkarni was serving as a minister and district in-charge minister.
Yogesh Gowda was hacked to death by a group of assailants at a gym in Dharwad city on June 15, 2016. He had politically challenged Kulkarni, following which the incident escalated.
Kulkarni was arrested in 2020 and released on bail in 2021. He was accused of influencing witnesses, following which the CBI sought cancellation of his bail, alleging violation of bail conditions. The court accepted the plea and revoked his bail.
Subsequently, Kulkarni, who is currently the Chairman of the Karnataka Urban Water Supply and Drainage Board, surrendered before the authorities and was later granted bail again.
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