Court suspends sentence of former MLA Antony Raju in evidence tampering case

The Thiruvananthapuram District and Sessions Court connected Monday suspended the condemnation of erstwhile Thiruvananthapuram MLA Antony Raju successful an grounds tampering case.

Mr. Raju had challenged the verdict of the Nedumangad Judicial First Class Magistrate-I which had sentenced him to 3 years of rigorous imprisonment and imposed a good of ₹10,000. The verdict had subsequently led to his disqualification arsenic an MLA.

The erstwhile legislator and K.S. Jose, a tribunal clerk, were some recovered blameworthy of causing the disappearance of evidence, forgery and fabricating mendacious grounds that had resulted successful the acquittal of an Australian nationalist who was arrested from Thiruvananthapuram International Airport successful 1990 with possession of ganja.

While temporarily staying the execution of the condemnation until the last disposal of the appeal, the District and Sessions Court clarified that the uncovering of guilt against Mr. Raju arsenic good arsenic his disqualification volition proceed to basal during this period. Detailed arguments successful the lawsuit volition beryllium heard connected February 6.

Mr Raju, a erstwhile Transport Minister, had approached the tribunal seeking to acceptable speech the magistrate court’s judgment, arguing that the proceedings tribunal had delivered the verdict without afloat considering his arguments. He besides contended that the tribunal failed to decently analyse the information that 3 different radical had been initially accused of the wrongdoing successful a preliminary inquiry.