Kohli, who is best known for his role as shopkeeper Navid in Still Game, will play a new character called Amandeep 'AJ' Jandhu.
The actor said he was looking forward to setting up home in Shieldinch.
He said: "River City is a Scottish institution and I'm chuffed to bits to be joining the cast."
Kohli added: "To be honest, I've been waiting for the call to join for quite some time now. I even bought a special phone - which I've been staring at for seven years - and it finally rang."
The 43-year-old Glaswegian will play the role of local lad made good.
AJ is a former banker who returns to Shieldinch to rediscover his roots and start up a small business venture along with his wife and son.
The casting of Kohli's on-screen family will be announced in the coming weeks.
They will debut on the screens in October.
Another new face joining the cast in the autumn is Gayle Telfor Stevens (Scot Squad, Sketchland) who will play Caitlin McLean, the older, but not wiser, sister of Ellie (Leah MacRae).
Scottish actor and comedian Sanjeev Kohli is to join the cast of BBC Scotland drama River City in the autumn, it has been announced.