'Request For Extension Of Time Rejected, Surrender As Per Court's Order': SC To Congress MLA In BJP Leader Murder Case
The bench said as per direction issued by the apex court, Kulkarni must surrender within one week of the June 6 ruling.
By Sumit Saxena
Published : June 13, 2025 at 3:08 PM IST
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday declined to entertain a plea by Karnataka Congress legislator and former minister Vinay R Kulkarni seeking an extension of time to surrender. The Congress legislator moved the apex court a week after cancellation of his bail in connection with the 2016 murder of BJP leader Yogesh Gowda, who was killed outside his gym in what was alleged to be a politically motivated attack.
A counsel, representing Kulkarni, requested a bench comprising Justices Prashant Kumar Mishra and Manmohan to grant him at least a week’s extension to comply with the June 6 order of the apex court. However, the bench made it clear that it is not keen to entertain the request for extension of time to surrender.
The counsel said, "He is a sitting MLA and also the chairman of the Karnataka Urban Water Supply and Drainage Board….", and urged the bench to give him at least a week more. However, the bench said, "No. You surrender as per this court's order. The request is rejected". The bench said as per direction issued by the apex court, Kulkarni must surrender within one week of the June 6 ruling.
On June 6, the apex court noted that Kulkarni and other accused had tried to contact and influence witnesses in violation of conditions imposed upon them.
Allowing an appeal by CBI, a bench comprising justices Sanjay Karol and Satish Chandra Sharma said: "Keeping in mind the totality of circumstances, this court is of the considered opinion that the bail granted to the respondent (Kulkarni) ought to be cancelled. Consequently, the bail granted to accused No. 15 i.e., the respondent is hereby cancelled. The respondent shall surrender before the concerned trial court/jail authority within a period of 1 week from today. However, we deem it appropriate to direct the trial court to make endeavours to conclude the trial expeditiously, without being influenced by any of our observation(s)".
Kulkarni, the sitting MLA from Dharwad, is facing trial in connection with the murder of Gowda, a BJP leader and then Dharwad Zilla Panchayat member. A case under Sections 302 (murder), 120B (criminal conspiracy), and other provisions of the IPC was initially registered by the local police.
