Dharwad: The Dharwad bench of state High court held a state legislative assembly member’s wife and Dharwad Zilla Panchayath member guilty on April 4,over submitting false caste and income certificates to get elected.

With this ruling, Veena, wife of MLA Vijayanand Kashappanavar is likely to lose her Dharwad Zilla Panchayat membership.

Complainants Shyla Nadagowda and Veeresh had submitted a writ petition questioning her election as ZP member by providing false caste and income certificates. They had alleged the use of political clout in obtaining the same from the area Tahsildar.

A single judge bench had rejected the first petition and the complainants later sought intervention by a divisional bench. The divisional bench comprising Justices Vineetha Kothari and Prabhakar Shastri upheld the complainants’ claim and cancelled Veena’s caste and income certificates.