Congress leader and former Minister Vinay Kulkarni’s stay at Hindalga Jail in Belagavi will continue till December 7 with Second Additional District and Sessions Court, which is also a Special CBI Court, extending his judicial custody on Monday.
Mr. Kulkarni was arrested on November 5 from his residence in Dharwad in connection with the murder of Zilla Panchayat member Yogeeshgouda Goudar. After three days in CBI custody, he was remanded in judicial custody for 14 days.
On Monday, as his 14-day judicial custody ended, he was produced before Second Additional District and Sessions Judge M. Panchakshari through video conference.
CBI counsel argued that they were in the process of interrogating more aides of Vinay Kulkarni and collecting evidence.
As Vinay Kulkarni was a political leader, there was a possibility of him influencing witnesses and others in the case. They appealed to the judge to extend his judicial custody.
After hearing both the sides, the judge issued order extending Vinay Kulkarni’s judicial custody for 14 days and asked the CBI sleuths to produce him before court on December 7.
In fact, on November 16, counsel for Vinay Kulkarni had applied for bail. But in a surprising move, his legal team withdrew the application a day after saying that the family members of the accused had asked it to do so.
Meanwhile, various political leaders, particularly of the Congress, seers of various mutts and members of various Lingayat organisations have continued visiting the residence of Mr. Kulkarni to console the family members and express solidarity with them.
