HUBBALLI: With the special court of elected representatives in Bengaluru dismissing the B-report submitted by the Hubballi-Dharwad police in a case connected with the killing of BJP member Yogishgouda Goudar, the chances of MLA Vinay Kulkarni being able to enter Dharwad district have further diminished. Gurunathgouda had filed a private complaint, claiming to be a witness of the murder of his brother Yogishgouda, alleging that he was threatened by the accused in the case against becoming a witness. He had also accused police officers involved in the murder probe and the then minister Kulkarni of intimidating him, and complained that the police had not followed due procedure in investigating his complaint.
Thereafter, the Hubballi-Dharwad police submitted a B-report. However, the People’s Representative Court has found several flaws in the police report and asked them to submit a final or additional report immediately, after a thorough investigation. In light of this court order, Kulkarni has to face another case, apart from his alleged involvement in Yogishgouda’s killing.
In connection with the latter case, Kulkarni was arrested by the CBI and had been in judicial custody for over nine months before getting conditional bail from the Supreme Court, which imposed a ban on his entry into Dharwad. Though he tried to get respite from this restriction, citing his contesting of the Assembly election and voting for the HDMC mayoral election, different courts have struck down his requests repeatedly.
In the wake of the People’s Representative Court rejecting the B-report filed in another case, political observers opine that it could be much harder for Kulkarni to get an order in his favour from the court to enter the district. On the other hand, the CBI has become active once against after recent developments in the High Court with respect to the case, so the days ahead would not be the most comfortable for Kulkarni, they added.
However, he is taking care of his constituency from the neighbouring district and even holding official meetings and government functions. These actions are being hugely criticised by BJP leaders.