Narmada, June 23 (SocialNews.XYZ) Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA Chaitar Vasava and eight others, including his wife Shakuntala Vasava, were sentenced to seven years' imprisonment by a sessions court in Rajpipla on Tuesday in connection with a 2023 case involving the assault of forest department officials, extortion and offences under the Arms Act.
Additional Sessions Judge A.V. Hirpara pronounced the sentence after convicting the nine accused earlier in the day.
The case stemmed from an incident that occurred on the night of October 30, 2023, in Dediapada, Gujarat’s Narmada district.
According to the prosecution, the dispute arose after forest department officials removed crops allegedly cultivated on government forest land despite restrictions on agricultural activity in the area.
Officials had undertaken the action against encroachments following administrative directions, triggering resentment among some villagers.
The prosecution alleged that five forest officials were subsequently called to Vasava’s residence in Dediapada, where they were threatened and abused during a confrontation.
One official was allegedly assaulted, while demands were made for compensation for the destroyed crops. Investigators also alleged that Vasava fired a round into the air during the incident.
A First Information Report was registered at Dediapada police station in November 2023 under provisions of the Indian Penal Code relating to rioting, extortion, criminal intimidation and obstructing public servants from discharging their duties, along with offences under the Arms Act.
Besides Vasava and his wife, those convicted included his aide and several villagers named in the FIR.
While some of the accused were arrested shortly after the complaint was filed, Vasava remained untraceable for several weeks before surrendering in December 2023.
He was later granted bail and went on to contest the 2024 Lok Sabha election from Bharuch as the AAP candidate.
The sentencing marks a significant development for the AAP in Gujarat, where Vasava has emerged as one of the party’s most prominent tribal leaders.
Representing the Dediapada constituency in the Gujarat Assembly, he rose to prominence after winning the seat in the 2022 Assembly elections, helping the party establish a foothold in the tribal belt of South Gujarat.
Known for his advocacy on tribal land and forest rights, Vasava has been a key face of the party’s outreach to tribal communities. The case had remained under trial for more than two years.
In May this year, the Gujarat High Court rejected Vasava’s plea seeking permission to examine additional defence witnesses, observing that the application appeared to be an attempt to delay the proceedings and noting that similar requests had already been rejected by lower courts and the Supreme Court.
With the sentencing now pronounced, the legal consequences of the conviction could have wider political implications for the opposition party in Gujarat, particularly in the tribal-dominated regions where Vasava has built a strong support base.
Source: IANS
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