<p>The High Court has made serious observations against former minister Vinay Kulkarni while dismissing his bail petition in the Yogeshgouda murder case.</p>.<p>The court said documents produced by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) revealed that the former minister was not only involved in the commission of the cold-blooded murder but also used his clout to change the public prosecutor, influenced the police officers, witnesses and also threatened the wife of the deceased by paying Rs 20 lakh.</p>.<p>Kulkarni’s earlier bail petition was rejected on January 21, 2021.</p>.<p>Subsequently, the charge sheet was filed on January 31, 2021, and he moved a fresh petition.</p>.<p>Justice K Natarajan said that mere filing of the charge sheet will not be considered as a changed circumstance for granting bail.</p>.<p>The court observed that Kulkarni and the main accused in the murder were continuously in touch through mobile phone.</p>.<p>The duo exchanged hundreds of calls between them and all those calls were prior to the murder.</p>.<p>The court noted that after the murder, the main accused met Kulkarni in Bengaluru, before surrendering to the police the next day.</p>.<p>Going through the documents produced by the CBI, the court pointed out that Kulkarni had tried to settle the dispute with the brother of the deceased, but failed.</p>.<p>He, however, was successful in tampering with the wife of the deceased by giving Rs 20 lakh and assuring a post in Congress party.</p>.<p>The court said the petitioner, using his clout as district incharge minister, interfered with the investigation and paid Rs 2 lakh to the investigating officer for tampering with the witnesses and to file a false charge sheet against six accused.</p>.<p>Yogeshgouda, who was a BJP taluk panchayat member, was hacked to death on June 15, 2016, at his gym in Saptapur, Dharwad.</p>.<p>The then Congress-JD (S) coalition government refused to hand over the probe to CBI as requested by Yogeshgouda’s brother Gurunathgouda.</p>.<p>With the BJP assuming power, the case was handed over to the CBI. The CBI arrested Kulkarni on November 5, 2020. </p>
<p>The High Court has made serious observations against former minister Vinay Kulkarni while dismissing his bail petition in the Yogeshgouda murder case.</p>.<p>The court said documents produced by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) revealed that the former minister was not only involved in the commission of the cold-blooded murder but also used his clout to change the public prosecutor, influenced the police officers, witnesses and also threatened the wife of the deceased by paying Rs 20 lakh.</p>.<p>Kulkarni’s earlier bail petition was rejected on January 21, 2021.</p>.<p>Subsequently, the charge sheet was filed on January 31, 2021, and he moved a fresh petition.</p>.<p>Justice K Natarajan said that mere filing of the charge sheet will not be considered as a changed circumstance for granting bail.</p>.<p>The court observed that Kulkarni and the main accused in the murder were continuously in touch through mobile phone.</p>.<p>The duo exchanged hundreds of calls between them and all those calls were prior to the murder.</p>.<p>The court noted that after the murder, the main accused met Kulkarni in Bengaluru, before surrendering to the police the next day.</p>.<p>Going through the documents produced by the CBI, the court pointed out that Kulkarni had tried to settle the dispute with the brother of the deceased, but failed.</p>.<p>He, however, was successful in tampering with the wife of the deceased by giving Rs 20 lakh and assuring a post in Congress party.</p>.<p>The court said the petitioner, using his clout as district incharge minister, interfered with the investigation and paid Rs 2 lakh to the investigating officer for tampering with the witnesses and to file a false charge sheet against six accused.</p>.<p>Yogeshgouda, who was a BJP taluk panchayat member, was hacked to death on June 15, 2016, at his gym in Saptapur, Dharwad.</p>.<p>The then Congress-JD (S) coalition government refused to hand over the probe to CBI as requested by Yogeshgouda’s brother Gurunathgouda.</p>.<p>With the BJP assuming power, the case was handed over to the CBI. The CBI arrested Kulkarni on November 5, 2020. </p>
