Karnataka High Court Seeks State's Reply On Disqualified MLA Vinay Kulkarni's Plea Against Conviction, Life Term In Yogesh Goudar Murder Case

The Karnataka High Court on Thursday (May 7) granted time to the State to file its response on disqualified MLA Vinay Kulkarni's appeal challenging the trial court order convicting and sentencing him to life imprisonment for the murder of BJP Leader Yogesh Goudar.

 The Division Bench of Justice Sachin Shankar Magadum and Justice Rajesh Rai has now listed the matter on May 26. 

Co-accused investigating officer Channakeshava B Tingarikar's appeal, who is represented by senior advocate PP Hegde, has been listed on May 14.

Senior counsel urged the court to hear him in detail and contended that Channakeshava has only been convicted of two bailable offences under Sections 218[Public servant framing incorrect record or writing with intent to save person from punishment] r/w Section 120(B)[criminal conspiracy] and Section 149[constructive unlawful assembly] of the Indian Penal Code.

Relying on Section 389(3) of CrPC/ Section 430 of BNSS [Suspension of sentence pending appeal in Bailable offences], the senior counsel argued that the police officer, solely accused of the aforesaid bailable offences, cannot be kept in custody even after conviction now that he has filed an appeal for suspending the sentence.

“I am sentenced to 7 years imprisonment…Unless exceptional circumstances continue, they[state] can't keep a person in custody when the offences are bailable…there is a specific provision under the BNSS”, the counsel told the court.

Hearing the counsel in Channakeshava B Tingarikar's matter, the court ordered: “In view of the urgency pleaded by Senior Counsel and his submission emphasising that the offence indicated against the accused is bailable, the registry is directed to relist the matter on 14.05.2026”.

Notably, another co-accused, Chandrasekhar, has also preferred a criminal appeal against conviction before the High Court, which is also listed on May 26. 

The high court had earlier issued notice to the CBI on Kulkarni's appeal. 

For context, on April 16, Special Court Judge Santhosh Gajanan Bhat had pronounced the quantum of sentence as life term imprisonment wherein the accused, including Vinay Kulkarni were physically present.

The accused, if they fail to pay the fine amount, would be required to undergo further imprisonment for three months, the special court had said in the judgment.

The trial court had also awarded Rs 16 Lakhs as compensation to the children of the deceased BJP Leader. Accused 2-16 and Accused 18 in the case have been awarded with life imprisonment. Accused -19 Chennakeshva Tingarikar, the investigating officer at the time, has been sentenced to 7 years of jail time.

The Central Bureau of Investigation had earlier argued before the trial court that life imprisonment without remission must be awarded to Kulkarni and others. On April 15, the special court convicted Kulkarni and sixteen others in the murder case.

Yogesh Goudar, a zilla panchayat member of the BJP from Hebballi constituency, was murdered by an armed gang at his gym in Saptapur in Dharwad in 2016. An FIR was registered with the Dharwad Sub-Urban Police Station at the instance of the deceased's wife. The Dharwad Police subsequent to his murder arrested six persons and charge sheeted them for murder. The probe was later transferred to CBI.

Case Title: Vinay Rajshekarappa Kulkarni v/s State of Karnataka

Case No: CRL.A 764/2026