Vinay Kulkarni sentenced to life imprisonment in BJP leader murder case

April 17, 2026

Bengaluru: A special court has sentenced Congress MLA Vinay Kulkarni to life imprisonment for the 2016 murder of BJP leader Yogesh Gowda.

The verdict was delivered by Special Court Judge Santosh Gajanan Bhat, following the conviction of Kulkarni and several other accused on April 15.

Conspiracy behind the murder revealed
Yogesh Gowda was murdered inside his gym in Dharwad on June 15, 2016. The investigation was later handed over to the CBI.

The investigation revealed a conspiracy to murder, destruction of evidence, and other serious crimes, leading to charges being framed against several people.

Life imprisonment and fines for several accused
The court sentenced Kulkarni and other accused to life imprisonment for murder and conspiracy. A fine of ₹30,000 was also imposed on all accused.

In addition, separate sentences were also imposed for rioting, unlawful assembly, and destruction of evidence. All sentences will run concurrently.

Compensation to the victim’s family
The court ordered that ₹16 lakh of the fine amount will be given to Yogesh Gowda’s children as compensation, while the remaining amount will go to the state.

While some accused were acquitted due to lack of evidence, the court also directed further action regarding witnesses and other related matters.