Bengaluru: Congress MLA and Karnataka Urban Water Supply and Drainage Board (KUWSB) Chairman, Vinay Kulkarni, on Friday surrendered before the special court for MLA/MPs in Bengaluru in connection with the 2016 murder case of BJP leader Yogesh Gowda.
The Supreme Court had cancelled his bail in connection with the case, and Kulkarni had said that he would abide by the apex court's order and surrender.
The Special Court has handed MLA Kulkarni over to the custody of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
Zilla Panchayat member Gowda was killed at his gym on June 15, 2016, and Kulkarni was a minister in the Siddaramaiah-led Congress government in the state at the time. It was alleged that Gowda was hacked to death to curb his political rise and the BJP's influence in the region.
Former Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa announced during his election campaign that he would send Kulkarni to jail in the case. After assuming power, he handed over the case to the CBI. Kulkarni was arrested by CBI sleuths on November 5, 2020.
After being in prison for nine months, Kulkarni was released on August 13, 2021. The Supreme Court had imposed a condition that he should not enter the Dharwad district. However, without entering his constituency, Kulkarni won from the Dharwad seat in the 2023 Assembly elections by a good margin. His wife and daughter had campaigned for him.
The Supreme Court had ordered the expedition of the investigation in the case and also the completion of witness examination. The CBI, closely monitoring the witnesses, allegedly found that they were being lured with money and approached the court with evidence in this regard.
The apex court had cancelled Kulkarni's bail following a petition by the CBI, which alleged that he was trying to influence witnesses and luring them with money. The court had asked him to surrender within a week.
Asked if this means more trouble for him, Kulkarni had said: "There is a role of many people... I can't say that is the problem. The court will proceed with evidence, and it will give its verdict as on the evidence. There is God. Everyone knows... people want me to make me sit in prison."
Meanwhile, sources said that the state unit of Congress is concerned about the development.
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