On September 3, 2025, the Dharwad High Court rejected the bail plea of Fayaz Kondunaik, the accused in the Neha Hiremath murder case. The incident occurred on April 18, 2024, at BVB College in Hubballi, where 24-year-old MCA student Neha Hiremath was brutally stabbed to death by Fayaz. The crime sparked widespread outrage across Karnataka, with protests demanding severe punishment for the accused.

On April 18, 2024, around 4:45 PM, Fayaz Kondunaik stabbed Neha Hiremath in the neck, stomach, and back on the BVB College campus, leading to her death. After the murder, he hid near KIMS Hospital but was later arrested by police in Belagavi district. Fayaz, from Munavalli in Savadatti taluk, is the son of government school teachers. He was a former BCA classmate of Neha but had dropped out after failing, according to reports.Some reports suggested Fayaz was in love with Neha, but her father, Niranjan Hiremath, dismissed this claim, stating, "If she liked him, why would he need to kill her?" The bail plea was initially rejected by Hubballi’s 1st Additional District and Sessions Court.

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Fayaz then approached the Dharwad High Court, which also dismissed his plea.Advocate Z.M. Hattaraki represented Fayaz, while SPP Mahesh Vaidya for the CID and advocate Raghavendra Muttagikar for Neha’s family opposed the bail. As per Justice Pallavi BR’s order, Fayaz remains in judicial custody at Dharwad Central Prison.The murder triggered statewide outrage, with ABVP activists and students protesting for the death penalty.

The BJP criticized the Congress government, labeling it "appeasement politics," which led to political controversy. The case was handed over to the CID, and Fayaz was held in CID custody for six days, with the investigation still ongoing.Niranjan Hiremath also raised concerns about security lapses at the college, criticizing the lack of campus security.