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A peculiar MP/MLA tribunal successful Delhi connected Thursday sentenced to 3 years successful situation Congress MLA from Madhya Pradesh’s Datia Rajendra Bharti and different idiosyncratic for defrauding a co-operative bank.
The verdict poses a hazard to Mr. Bharti’s legislative membership.
On Wednesday, the tribunal had convicted him and Raghuvir Sharan Prajapati, a erstwhile worker of the Co-operative Agriculture and Rural Development Bank (ARDB), Datia, successful a lawsuit from 2015 for allegedly making amerciable withdrawals of involvement magnitude connected a ₹10 lakh-fixed deposit (FD) for 13 years arsenic good arsenic utilizing his power to summation the word of the FD, purchased successful 1998, from archetypal 3 years to 10 and 15 years. Mr. Prajapati, a cashier astatine the time, was convicted for helping Mr. Bharti.
The 2 were convicted nether Sections 120B, 420, 467, 468 and 471 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). While the tribunal imposed a good of ₹1 lakh connected Mr. Bharti, the good magnitude for Mr. Prajapati is ₹2.5 lakhs.
Mr. Bharti’s mother, Savitri Shyam, was besides an accused successful the lawsuit but she passed distant during the people of trial.
Mr. Bharti and Mr. Prajapati have, however, been granted bail for 60 days to beryllium capable to entreaty earlier a higher court.
Mr. Bharti’s bureau said an exertion to situation the verdict volition beryllium filed earlier the Delhi High Court successful the adjacent two-three days.
Mr. Bharti was the president of the slope astatine the clip of FD acquisition and erstwhile its word was changed. As per the bank’s allegations, the involvement magnitude was started to beryllium withdrawn earlier the FD got mature and continued until 2011 astatine the higher rates of 1998.
In 2025, the lawsuit was transferred to Delhi connected the directions of the Supreme Court connected a petition filed by Mr. Bharti.
The verdict comes arsenic different situation for the Madhya Pradesh Congress which is already facing the hazard of losing different MLA.
Earlier successful March, the rank of Vijaypur MLA Mukesh Malhotra was invalidated by the Madhya Pradesh High Court for suppressing accusation astir pending transgression cases against him successful the predetermination affidavits during the bypoll successful November, 2024, and declared BJP person Ram Niwas Rawat, past a State Cabinet Minister and runner-up, arsenic the elected MLA from the seat.
Mr. Malhotra, however, has challenged the bid successful the Supreme Court and got a enactment connected it. Although, the SC has maintained assorted restrictions imposed connected Mr. Malhotra.
