On June 6, 2025, the Supreme Court of India cancelled the bail of Congress MLA and former Karnataka minister Vinay Kulkarni in connection with the 2016 murder of BJP zilla panchayat member Yogesh Gowda. The court found credible evidence suggesting that Kulkarni attempted to influence witnesses, thereby violating his bail conditions. Consequently, the court directed him to surrender within a week.

Kulkarni had been granted bail by the Supreme Court on August 13, 2021, under strict conditions, including a prohibition on entering Dharwad district and tampering with witnesses. However, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which is investigating the case, presented evidence that Kulkarni and co-accused Chandrashekar attempted to contact two witnesses through intermediaries.

The trial court had earlier cancelled Chandrashekar’s bail based on the CBI’s petition but refrained from doing so in Kulkarni’s case, citing the Supreme Court’s original grant of bail. The apex court has now clarified that a trial court can cancel bail granted by a higher court if there is a violation of bail conditions.

The Supreme Court also directed the trial court to expedite the proceedings in the case.

sources