BENGALURU
The Karnataka High Court has issued notices to the CBI and the state government after Congress MLA Vinay Kulkarni and Chandrashekhar Indi challenged the life imprisonment sentence awarded to them in the murder case of BJP leader Yogesh Gowda.
A division bench comprising Justice Mohammad Nawaz and Justice Venkatesh T Nayak heard the criminal appeal petition filed by Kulkarni and Chandrashekhar Indi, who was identified as the 15th convict in the case.
During the hearing, the bench issued notices to the respondents, including the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the state government, and permitted the petitioners to seek an urgent hearing before a vacation bench if required.
The appeal challenges the order passed by the Special Court that sentenced the accused to life imprisonment in connection with the murder of Yogesh Gowda in Dharwad.
During arguments, counsel appearing for Vinay Kulkarni requested the court to admit the criminal appeal for hearing and sought directions for production of relevant case records and documents.
The defence also referred to the fact that the accused had previously been granted bail during the trial stage based on the available evidence in the matter.
Meanwhile, the counsel representing the CBI sought four weeks’ time to file objections, stating that the trial court judgment runs into nearly 680 pages and required detailed examination.
After hearing preliminary submissions from both sides, the High Court observed that the appeal was being heard for the first time and that the respondents must also be given an opportunity to present their arguments.
The bench subsequently adjourned the matter while allowing the petitioners to approach the vacation bench for an earlier hearing if necessary.