Vinay Kulkarni to be disqualified from legislative assembly

Bengaluru: Congress MLA Vinay Kulkarni, sentenced to life imprisonment in connection with the murder of his political rival Yogeshgouda Goudar, faces immediate disqualification from the legislative assembly under the Representation of the People Act, which mandates the removal of any elected representative sentenced to two or more years of imprisonment.A notification to this effect is expected shortly. Kulkarni's exit, however, would not impact the political arithmetic in the state with the ruling Congress way ahead of the magic number required for a majority in the assembly. Goudar, a BJP zilla panchayat member, was brutally hacked to death at a gym in Dharwad on June 15, 2016. While local police initially handled the probe, the case was transferred to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in 2019 after political pressure and allegations that Kulkarni, then a district in-charge minister, orchestrated the killing to eliminate a rising political rival.Special judge Santosh Gajanan Bhat, who passed the conviction order, said: "The accused Vinay Kulkarni, being a member of the legislative assembly and then district in-charge minister, entertained a grudge against his political opponent. He committed the offence, which is nothing but showing disgrace to a society that reposed faith in him."GFXTimeline of Murder CaseJune 15, 2016: Yogesh Goudar murdered by assailants at his gym in Saptapur, Dharwad2016-18: Initial investigation by local police leads to the arrest of six individuals; Kulkarni's name not in the primary chargesheetSept 2019: Following change in state govt, case officially handed over to CBINov 5, 2020: CBI arrests Kulkarni, naming him as main conspiratorAug 11, 2021: Supreme Court grants Kulkarni conditional bail, including ban on entering Dharwad districtJune 7, 2025: SC cancels his bail after evidence emerges of him attempting to influence/tamper with witnessesFeb 27, 2026: Kulkarni granted bail again after all key witnesses are examined, with a directive to conclude the trial quicklyApril 15, 2026: Special judge Santosh Gajanan Bhat convicts Kulkarni and 16 others for murder and conspiracy; CBI takes all convicts into immediate custodyApril 17, 2026: Court pronounces the life imprisonment sentence for all 17 convictsOthers who were sentenced to life imprisonment: Vikram Bellary, Kirthi Kumar Basavaraj Kurahatti, Sandeep Saudatti, Vinayaka Katagi, Mahabaleeshwar Hongal alias Muduka, Santhosh Saudatti, Dinesh M, Ashwath, Sunil, Nazeer Ahmed, Shahanawaz, Nuthan, Harshith, Chandrashekhar Indi, Vikas Kalburgi, and Channakeshava B Tingarikar