CBI makes first arrests in Yogesh Gowda murder case

The CBI has arrested and detained some suspects in connection with the killing of BJP worker Yogesh Gowda in Karnataka's Dharwad in 2016, officials said on Sunday.

These are the first arrests in the case, they said.

The agency sources said that its operation of further rounding up of suspects based on questioning of detained and arrested persons is spread across various states and is likely to continue during the night, hence the details cannot be shared.

Gowda, a BJP zilla panchayat member, was killed in his gym on June 15, 2016 by unidentified men, they said.

The agency took over the probe on the recommendation of the Karnataka government, they said.

It is alleged that Gowda was running a gym at Sapthapura in Dharwad. He was a friend of Basavaraj Shivappa Muttagi, the prime accused, for the last 10 years with different political inclinations.

Gowda came to know about a land purchase deal by Muttagi. Gowda had threatened Muttagi that he should not purchase the land as it was under the former's custody and if he still proceeded, he would kill him.

The Karnataka police had already completed the probe and filed a charge sheet against six accused on September 9, 2016.

It is alleged that Muttagi hatched a criminal conspiracy to kill Gowda.

When Gowda came to his gym on June 15, 2016, accomplices of Muttagi sprinkled chilli powder on his face and hacked him to death.

The killers escaped on three two-wheelers. The case is under trial in the District and Sessions Court, Dharwad.

After the change in the Karnataka government, the matter was handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation.