‘Grim portrait of criminalization of politics’: Special court in verdict against Karnataka Congress MLA for 2016 murder of BJP worker

The special court awarded a punishment of life imprisonment for the Congress MLA and former minister Vinay Kulkarni, 56, and 15 others, as well as seven years of rigorous imprisonment for the police inspector, Chennakesava Tingarikar, who initially investigated the case of the murder of BJP worker Yogesh Goudar in Dharwad on June 15, 2016.

In a 623-page verdict that was pronounced last week, special court Judge Santhosh Gajanan Bhat accepted evidence presented by the Central Bureau of Investigation, which was handed the probe in 2019 by the BJP government in Karnataka.

The special court’s verdict was premised largely on the statement of a key accused, Basavaraj Muttagi, who turned approver after the CBI took over the case.

The approver told the court that on the instructions of the MLA, he organized a gang from Bengaluru – who were code named ‘Bangalore Boys’ – for a sum of Rs 20 lakh to execute the murder of Goudar, and that a separate gang called ‘Dharwad Boys’ were enrolled to surrender before the police after the murder by claiming to be the assailants.

The family of Goudar had received an anonymous letter a few days before the murder, warning the BJP worker of impending death. The CBI probe found that the letter had been written by Basavaraj Muttagi, who later turned approver for the CBI.

The court also relied on the identification of the main assailants from CCTV footage from the vicinity of the Uday Gym in Dharwad – operated by the murder victim – where the murder occurred on the morning of June 15, 2016, as well as Call Data and mobile location records produced as evidence by the CBI.

The special court accepted the CBI argument that the motive for the murder was a simmering political rivalry between Kulkarni and Goudar.

“The prosecution contends that the main motive and intention for commission of murder was the quarrel that had taken place on 23.04.2016 at the premises of Zilla Panchayat wherein Yogesh Goudar had tried to divert the attention of Vinay Kulkarni in a drought meeting convened by the then minister Vinay Kulkarni,” the special court observed.

The special court said the investigation details presented in the case “reflect a grim portrait of the criminalization of politics, where the guardians of law were, allegedly, entangled in its breach.”

Dubious role of local police in misleading probe

The special court has recommended action against police officials for the “faulty investigation” conducted by police inspector Tingarikar “in connivance with accused No. 15 Vinay Kulkarni” in the early stages of the investigation.

Some of the police officers “have openly admitted of tendering false evidence before the court which cannot be tolerated,” the special court said while adding that “the administration of justice and the proceedings before the Court cannot be taken lightly since it is the basic edifice in the realm of justice to be delivered to the society.”

The court has upheld the CBI findings that the local Dharwad police did not bother to verify the claims of six persons who initially surrendered for the murder by looking at the CCTV footage of the crime, and that the weapons claimed to have been used for the murder were planted by the police to suggest that the persons who surrendered were the real culprits.

The court has observed that the local police were keen to conclude that the murder was linked to a real estate dispute between the approver, Basavaraj Muttagi, and the victim, Yogish Goudar, and not due to any festering political rivalry with the local Congress MLA.

The court said in its verdict that “it is crystal clear that the allegations leveled against accused No. 19 (police officer Tingarikar) with respect to implanting of the weapons and conducting a faulty investigation as a part of larger conspiracy which he had entertained with accused No.15 (MLA Kulkarni) is clearly established by the prosecution.”

“During the course of the evidence of PW.10 Basavaraja Muttagi, the approver, it is deposed by him that prior to the incident a meeting was conveyed in the dairy (farm) of Vinay Kulkarni which was attended by the then Commissioner (of police for Dharwad) Mr P H Rane, accused No. 19 Channakeshava Tingrikar (police inspector), accused No. 20 Vasudev Rama Nilekani (assistant commissioner of police),” the special court has observed.

“The prosecution has further proved that in furtherance of larger conspiracy which accused No. 19 Chennakeshava Tingarikar had entertained being the Investigating Officer of Dharwad Sub-Urban Police Station with accused No. 15 Vinay Kulkarni had conducted sloppy investigation to support the case of accused No. 15 than discharging his duty,” the court said.

Aggravating factors against Congress MLA

The special court has observed that the seriousness of the crime had been compounded by the involvement of the Congress MLA Vinay Kulkarni, who “entertained a grudge against his political opponent and had committed the horrendous act”.

“The act of the accused person is not a common criminal incident which had taken place accidentally but it is an act which had taken place in a cold-blooded manner for which able support was provided by the law enforcement agency and also implanting and screening of evidence had taken place,” the special court said.

“If any lenient view is to be taken, the act would further erode the faith and may lead to draw an inference that such kind of horrendous offences affecting the society would be dealt liberally,” it added.

“The question of commission of an offence by a Legislator is a serious aspect which is to be taken note of. In fact, the society looks at the legislature with a fond hope of transforming the society. They are the supreme authority of making laws towards the welfare of the citizenry,” the special court further observed.

Quantum of punishment

On April 17, two days after its guilty verdict, the special court for cases against elected representatives sentenced Congress MLA Vinay Kulkarni and 15 others to life imprisonment for the June 15, 2016, murder.

“For the offence punishable under Sec. 302 (murder) r/w Sec. 120-B of IPC (criminal conspiracy), accused No. 2 to 16 and 18 are hereby sentenced to undergo life imprisonment and to pay a fine of Rs. 30,000/- each and in default of payment of fine, they shall undergo imprisonment for 3 months,” the special court said in its order on Friday.

Vinay Kulkarni was not initially identified as an accused by the local police, but CBI investigations revealed that Kulkarni and his relative Chandrashekhar Indi alias Chandu Mama (A16) were key conspirators.

The others convicted on the murder charge are Vikram Bellary, Kirthi Kumar, Basavaraj Kurahatti, Sandeep Saudatti, Vinayaka Katagi, Mahabaleshwar Hongal alias Muduka, Santhosh Saudatti, Dinesh M, Ashwath, Sunil, Nazeer Ahmed, Shahanawaz, Nuthan K, Harshith C, and Vikas Kalburgi.

The 16 murder accused are also convicted “to undergo rigorous imprisonment for a period of 7 years with a fine of Rs. 30,000/- and in default to undergo simple imprisonment for a period of 3 months” along with Tingarikar for conspiracy to provide wrong information to mislead the probe.

Two other policemen who were among the 21 original accused in the case, Vasudeva Rama Nilekani and Somashekar Basappa Nyamagouda, were acquitted “by giving benefit of doubt,” the court said.

The CBI was handed the Yogesh Goudar murder case, which occurred in 2016 when the Congress was in power, by the Karnataka government after the BJP came to power.

The Congress MLA who was linked to the murder by the family of Goudar was arrested after the CBI took over the case. Kulkarni was initially released on bail in 2021 but was arrested again on June 14, 2025, after the Supreme Court cancelled his bail on June 6, 2025, following CBI allegations of tampering with witnesses.