Bhopal, April 3 (SocialNews.XYZ) Politics in Madhya Pradesh has heated up after a Delhi court convicted Datia Congress MLA Rajendra Bharti in a 28-year-old cooperative bank fraud case and sentenced him to three years in prison.
The Rouse Avenue Court in Delhi found Bharti and co-accused Raghuvir Sharan Prajapati guilty of criminal conspiracy, cheating, forgery, and using forged documents. The case involved irregularities in a fixed deposit at the District Cooperative Agriculture and Rural Development Bank in Datia, where records were allegedly manipulated using correction fluid to illegally withdraw interest over several years.
The court sentenced both to three years’ imprisonment and imposed a fine of Rs one lakh on Bharti and Rs 2.5 lakh on Prajapati. However, it granted a two-month window (reports mention 30 to 60 days) to file an appeal and suspended the sentence during this period.
Despite the relief, the conviction prompted swift action by the Madhya Pradesh Assembly Secretariat. Principal Secretary Arvind Sharma reached the Assembly late on Thursday night, around 11 p.m. A notification was subsequently issued declaring Bharti’s membership terminated and the Datia Assembly seat vacant, citing the court’s order.
The Secretariat also initiated the process of informing the Election Commission, paving the way for a by-election.
The late-night development triggered strong protests from Congress leaders. State Congress President Jitu Patwari and former Minister (Congress) P.C. Sharma rushed to the Assembly Secretariat upon learning of the activity.
P.C. Sharma strongly objected, stating: “The Assembly Secretariat, an independent constitutional institution, was opened at night at the behest of the BJP to terminate the membership of a Congress MLA. When we raised objections against this undemocratic attitude of the Mohan Yadav government, the entire system remained silent. We strongly condemn the BJP’s political hooliganism and misuse of the Assembly Secretariat. Congress will fight this battle with full force.”
Jitu Patwari questioned the selective haste, pointing out that no swift action was taken in earlier cases involving MLAs who defected to the BJP, such as Sachin Birla and Nirmala Sapre. “Why this lightning speed now, especially when Rajya Sabha elections are approaching? The court itself has given time to appeal - what is the justification for such undue haste?” he asked.
Senior Congress leader and former Union Minister Arun Subhashchandra Yadav also reacted sharply on social media: “In the cases of Sachin Birla - who defected to the BJP during the previous tenure - and Nirmala Sapre during the current tenure, no action was taken for years. However, now that the Rajya Sabha elections are approaching, action has been executed with lightning speed against Congress MLAs Mukesh Malhotra and Rajendra Bharti - going so far as to open the Assembly Secretariat late at night. Will the laws of the Assembly now be governed not by justice, but by the dictates of those in power?”
Congress leaders alleged that the ruling BJP government was selectively applying rules against opposition MLAs while ignoring similar cases involving its own members or defectors.
Rajendra Bharti, who defeated senior BJP leader Narottam Mishra in the 2023 Assembly elections from Datia, has said he respects the court’s decision and will challenge the verdict in the higher court.
The disqualification reduces Congress’ strength to 64 in the 230-member Madhya Pradesh Assembly and has intensified the ongoing political tussle in the state.
Source: IANS
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