The State cabinet has decided to refer the Prof Kalburgi murder case to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
However, the government has already ordered a probe by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) into the killing of the professor in Dharwad on Sunday.
Briefing the media after the Cabinet meeting on Monday, Law Minister T B Jayachandra said the government would be writing to the CBI to take over the investigation.
Earlier in the day, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said the guilty would be punished and the CID probe has been ordered already.
The government, after coming to power in 2013, has referred five cases to the CBI.
Published 31 August 2015, 19:57 IST