A special court has sentenced former minister Vinay Kulkarni and 15 others to life imprisonment in the Yogesh Gowda murder case. One convict received 7 years jail. The court also imposed fines and directed compensation to the victim’s family.
In a major development that has sent shockwaves through Karnataka politics, a special court for people’s representatives has sentenced former minister and sitting MLA Vinay Kulkarni, along with 15 others, to life imprisonment in the Yogesh Gowda murder case. One of the convicts, Inspector Tingarekar, has been sentenced to seven years in prison and fined ₹30,000. The court has also imposed a total fine of ₹16 lakh on the other convicts, directing that the compensation be paid to the children and brother of the deceased, Yogesh Gowda.
Court Had Earlier Found 17 Accused Guilty
On April 15, the special court had found 17 accused, including Vinay Kulkarni and Police Inspector Channakeshava Tingarekar, guilty in this high-profile case. The court had reserved its order on the quantum of sentence for April 17 after hearing arguments from both the CBI and the defence. While the defence counsel sought a lighter sentence, the CBI argued for the maximum punishment.
Eight-Year Trial Concludes With Verdict
The final verdict comes after an eight-year-long trial in the murder case, which dates back to June 2016. On Wednesday evening, Judge Santosh Gajanan Bhat pronounced the judgment, convicting 17 individuals for their roles in the conspiracy and execution of the murder.
List Of Convicted Accused
The court convicted 17 individuals, including Vinay Kulkarni (15th accused), Vikram Ballari, Kirti Kumar Basavaraj Kurahatti, Sandeep Savadatti, Vinayak Katagi, Mahabaleshwar Hongal, Santosh Savadatti, Dinesh, Ashwath, Sunil, Nazir Ahmed, Shahnawaz, Nutan, Harshith, Chandrashekhar Indi, Vikas Kalaburagi, and Inspector Channakeshava B. Tingarekar.
Convicts Produced Under Tight Security
Following the April 15 order, CBI officials took the convicts into custody and lodged them in Parappana Agrahara Central Prison under tight security. All 17 accused were produced before the court during the sentencing hearings on April 17.
Approvers And Acquittals In The Case
In this case, the first accused, Basavaraj Muttagi, and the 17th accused, Shivanand, turned approvers. Meanwhile, the court acquitted the 20th accused, Vasudev Ram Nilekani, and the 21st accused, Somashekhar Basappa Nyamagowda.
Charges Under Multiple IPC Sections
The convicted accused were charged under several sections of the Indian Penal Code. Sections 302 (murder), 120B (criminal conspiracy), and 201 (destruction of evidence) were among the key charges. Additional charges under Sections 143, 147, 148, and 149 related to unlawful assembly and rioting were also proven. The 19th accused, a public servant, was convicted under Section 218 for allegedly fabricating official records to assist an accused.