Cong MLA Vinay Kulkarni gets life for BJP leader Gowda’s murder
A special court in Bengaluru has sentenced Congress MLA Vinay Kulkarni to life imprisonment for the 2016 murder of BJP leader Yogesh Gowda. The verdict was delivered on April 17 by Judge Santosh Gajanan Bhat after Kulkarni and several others were found guilty. Yogesh Gowda, a member of the Dharwad Zila Panchayat, was killed at a gym in Dharwad on June 15, 2016. Investigations revealed that the murder was part of a larger conspiracy involving multiple individuals. Kulkarni, along with 15 others, has been sentenced to life imprisonment for charges including murder and criminal conspiracy. The court also imposed a fine of ₹30,000 on each of the convicts. The case was initially investigated by local police before being handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which filed a chargesheet including offences such as conspiracy, unlawful assembly, and destruction of evidence. The CBI arrested Kulkarni in November 2020. He was granted bail by the Supreme Court of India in 2021, but his bail was cancelled in 2025 after the court observed attempts to influence witnesses. The court further directed that a portion of the fine be paid as compensation to the victim’s family, with all sentences set to run concurrently.
“Listening to Rahul Gandhi is a headache”: Kangana Ranaut
BJP MP Kangana Ranaut made a pointed jabe against the Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi during a Lok Sabha discussion on the Women’s Reservation Bill. Speaking during the debate, Ranaut criticised Gandhi’s speech and said, “listening to Rahul Gandhi is a headache,” a comment that quickly drew significant attention across political circles. The remark came amid a broader exchange between members of the ruling party and the opposition, with the discussion turning heated at several points. The Women’s Reservation Bill, which proposes reserving one-third of seats in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies for women, has triggered strong reactions from leaders across parties. Differing views on its implementation and potential impact have led to an ongoing and vigorous debate. Ranaut’s statement has added to the sharp exchanges between the BJP and the Congress, highlighting the increasingly intense nature of parliamentary discussions around key legislation.