Pune BJP leader booked for sexually harassing woman police officer; party removes him from post
_vb_50.jpeg)
Pune: Pramod Kondhre, General Secretary of the Pune BJP city unit, has been booked for allegedly sexually harassing a senior woman police officer near the venue of an event attended by Union Minister Nitin Gadkari on Monday morning. The FIR, registered Tuesday night, includes charges under Sections 74 and 75 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) relating to outraging the modesty of a woman and sexual harassment.
The incident reportedly occurred at a tea stall close to the event venue in central Pune, where BJP office-bearers and local citizens had gathered. According to the complaint, Kondhre allegedly touched the officer inappropriately while she was on duty. CCTV footage from the location has been obtained, and a senior official confirmed that an Assistant Commissioner of Police–rank woman officer is leading the investigation.
Kondhre has denied the allegations in his statement to the police and has not been arrested so far. Following the filing of the FIR, the BJP removed Kondhre from his position.
State BJP leader Chitra Wagh stated, “The BJP has always stood for the dignity of women. Kondhre’s behaviour is unacceptable and we support strict punishment irrespective of his party affiliation.”
Meanwhile, opposition parties including the NCP (SP), Congress, and Shiv Sena (UBT) condemned the incident. NCP (SP) city chief Prashant Jagtap accused BJP leaders of misusing power and said the incident reflects the party’s values. Congress city chief Arvind Shinde announced protests against the BJP, alleging a pattern of disrespect toward women. Shiv Sena (UBT) city president Sanjay More also criticized the BJP over the issue.
This is the second recent incident involving BJP leaders in Pune. A few days ago, another office-bearer was booked for allegedly harassing a woman medical officer from the Pune Municipal Corporation.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Karnataka MLA Vinay Kulkarni disqualified after conviction in Goudar murder case
Bengaluru (PTI): The Karnataka Legislative Assembly on Saturday issued an official notification regarding the disqualification of Congress MLA Vinay Kulkarni following his conviction in the murder case of BJP leader Yogeshgouda Goudar.
The former minister is currently in prison, serving life imprisonment in the case.
“Consequent upon the conviction of Vinay Kulkarni, Member of the Karnataka Legislative Assembly representing the Dharwad constituency, by the LXXXI Additional City Civil & Sessions Judge, Bengaluru City (CCH-82), in Spl CC No. 565/2021, he stands disqualified from the membership of the Karnataka Legislative Assembly from the date of conviction, i.e, April 15, 2026,” the notification read.
“He stands disqualified in terms of the provisions of Article 191(1)(e) of the Constitution of India, read with Section 8 of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, and such disqualification shall continue for a further period of six years after his release, unless the conviction is stayed by a competent court,” it added.
Hence, one seat in the Karnataka Legislative Assembly has fallen vacant, the notification said.
Bypolls were held on April 9 to fill two other seats in the 224-member Assembly that fell vacant due to the death of sitting MLAs. The results will be declared on May 4.
On April 15, Judge Santhosh Gajanan Bhat convicted Kulkarni and others under various IPC sections, including criminal conspiracy and murder. Subsequently, on April 17, the court sentenced Kulkarni and 15 others convicted in the case to life imprisonment.
The case pertains to the killing of Goudar, a BJP Zilla Panchayat member, in Dharwad on June 15, 2016. Kulkarni was a minister at that time. Hired assailants attacked and hacked Goudar to death in his gym at Saptapur in Dharwad.
Following demands from Goudar’s family and others, the then-BJP government transferred the case to the CBI in 2019.
The CBI filed a supplementary chargesheet in 2020, naming Vinay Kulkarni as the “main conspirator.” It alleged that he perceived Yogeshgouda Goudar as a growing political rival in Dharwad and hired contract killers to eliminate him.
Kulkarni was arrested by the CBI in 2020. He was granted bail by the Supreme Court in August 2021 under certain conditions, including a ban on entering Dharwad district. However, in June 2025, the apex court cancelled his bail following allegations of witness tampering and attempts to influence prosecution witnesses.
Kulkarni again sought bail in January 2026, but the High Court rejected it, citing judicial propriety.
However, the Supreme Court granted him bail on February 27 after noting that all witnesses had been examined.
