Bengaluru court sentences Congress MLA Vinay Kulkarni to life term

A Bengaluru court sentenced Congress MLA Vinay Kulkarni and 16 others to life imprisonment in the murder case of BJP leader Yogeshgouda Goudar. The case dates back to 2016 and was investigated by the CBI following public demand

Bengaluru: A Bengaluru court on Friday sentenced Congress MLA Vinay Kulkarni to life imprisonment in the murder case of BJP leader Yogeshgouda Goudar.

The court also sentenced 16 others convicted in connection with the case to life imprisonment.

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On Wednesday, Santhosh Gajanan Bhat, judge of the Special Court for cases involving elected representatives, convicted Kulkarni and others under IPC sections, including criminal conspiracy and murder.

While the CBI on April 16 sought imposition of a life sentence without remission for Kulkarni, the MLA’s advocate appealed for a minimum sentence, citing his social services, political background and responsibilities towards his children and other family members.

The case pertains to the killing of Goudar, a BJP zilla panchayat member, in Dharwad on June 15, 2016. Kulkarni was a minister at that time.

Hired assailants attacked and hacked Goudar to death in his gym at Saptapur in Dharwad.

Following demands from Goudar’s family and others, the then BJP government transferred the case to the CBI in 2019.

The CBI filed a supplementary chargesheet in 2020, naming Kulkarni as the ‘main conspirator’. It alleged that he perceived Goudar as a growing political rival in Dharwad and hired contract killers to eliminate him.

Kulkarni was arrested by the CBI in 2020. He got bail from the Supreme Court in August 2021 under conditions, including a ban on entering Dharwad district.

However, in June 2025, the apex court cancelled his bail following allegations of witness tampering and attempts to influence prosecution witnesses.

Kulkarni again sought bail in January 2026, but the High Court rejected it, citing judicial propriety. However, the Supreme Court granted bail on February 27 after noting all witnesses had been examined.

Kulkarni is likely to face disqualification as an MLA.