Hubballi: Mines and Geology Minister, Vinay Kulkarni, is facing fresh trouble over the murder of Dharwad Zilla Panchayat member, Yogesh Gouda with an audio recording of his alleged conversation laced with threats on the telephone with the advocate representing the BJP leader's family in the case going viral.
Mr Yogesh Gouda was hacked to death by a group of five or six men, reportedly over a property dispute, at his own gym in Saptapur, Dharwad district in June last year.
His brother has alleged that the Minister has tried to bury the case with the help of a police officer. And with the recording of his alleged conversation on the phone, the case is threatening to harm the Mr Kulkarni's prospects in the coming assembly poll, which were looking up following his involvement in the movement for an independent religious tag for Lingayats.
Smelling blood, opposition parties are now demanding his resignation over the audio tape in which he is allegedly heard threatening the advocate, Anand.
And Mr Yogesh Gouda's wife , Mallamma has written to the Chief Justice of the Karnataka High Court complaining that the trial is not being conducted in a fair and transparent manner. However, denying playing any role in the murder, the Minister has claimed that he is the victim of a conspiracy because of his involvement in the Lingayat movement.
"When the main accused are already in jail and the case is pending in court, the question of my interference does not arise. I will soon reveal the names of BJP leaders, who have conspired against me to suppress the Lingayat movement," he asserted.
