Yogesh Gowda murder case: CBI detains KAS officer

CBI has arrested KAS officer Somu Nyamagowda into custody in connection with the murder case of former BJP Zilla panchayat member Yogesh Gowda in Dharwad in 2016.

Dharwad:The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Thursday has taken Karnataka Administrative Services (KAS) officer Somu Nyamagowda into custody in connection with the murder case of former BJP Zilla panchayat member Yogesh Gowda in Dharwad. Nyamagowda, an aide of former Congress minister and co-accused in the case Vinay Kulkarni, was brought to a suburban police station in Dharwad.

According to reports, Gowda was killed by unidentified bike-borne men on June 15, 2016, outside his gym in Dharwad. The case was later handed over to the CBI after BJP came to power in the state. Police said that Nyamagowda was appointed secretary when Vinay Kulkarni was a Karnataka minister and currently working as the Agricultural Produce Market Committee secretary of Gadag.

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The CBI officials brought Nyamagowda from Gadag and they are probing alleged money transactions in connection with the killing of Yogesh Gowda. "Reports suggest that Nyamagowda was taking care of money transactions while plotting the killing of Gowda," a senior CBI official said. Nyamagowda had previously faced CBI inquiries over 10 times in connection with the case.

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Earlier, the CBI also arrested Vinay Kulkarni and interrogated him about the murder case. The investigative agency also sought permission for a polygraph test of Kulkarni from a court.

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