New Delhi [India], April 3 (ANI): The Rouse Avenue Court in Delhi on Thursday sentenced Congress MLA Rajendra Bharti and co-accused Raghubir Sharan Prajapati to three years' imprisonment in connection with a Gramin Bank fraud case.

Bharti, a sitting MLA from the Datia Assembly constituency in Madhya Pradesh, was also slapped with a fine of Rs 1 lakh, while Prajapati was fined Rs 2.5 lakh.

Special Judge (MP-MLA) Dig Vinay Singh pronounced the verdict, convicting both for cheating, forgery, using forged documents, and criminal conspiracy.

The court held Bharti guilty of criminal conspiracy under Section 120B of the IPC read with Sections 420, 467, 478, and 471. Prajapati was sentenced to three years imprisonment for forgery with a Rs 1 lakh fine under Section 476 read with 120B IPC, and two years imprisonment for cheating with a Rs 50,000 fine under Section 468 IPC read with 120B IPC.

Additionally, Prajapati was sentenced to three years in prison and fined Rs 1 lakh for criminal conspiracy under Section 120B read with Sections 420, 467, 468, and 471 of the IPC. A third accused, Savitri Shyam, mother of Rajendra Bharti, passed away during the trial.

The case stemmed from a criminal complaint filed on July 29, 2015, under Section 200 of the CrPC, by Zila Sahkari Krishi Aur Grahmin Vikas Bank against Savitri Shyam and her son Rajendra Bharti. Prajapati was later summoned through a subsequent application.

According to the complaint, on August 24, 1998, Savitri deposited Rs 10 lakh in a three-year fixed deposit (FD) at 13.5% per annum in the name of the trust Shri Shyam Sunder Shyam Jan Sahyog Evam Samajik Vikas Sansthan, Mundian Ka Kuan, Datia, MP. Instead of claiming the interest at maturity, she allegedly withdrew annual interest payments of Rs 1.35 lakh from 1999 to 2011, in violation of the FD terms.

Reacting to the verdict, BJP spokesperson Ajay Yadav welcomed the court's decision, saying the Congress party has turned into an organisation of corrupt and criminal elements.

'It has been established that the Congress party has turned into an organization of corrupt and criminal elements, and instances of corruption involving its leaders continue to emerge. In such a situation, the decision delivered by the court is completely justified. The Congress party should introspect as to why it makes such criminal elements legislators and assigns them responsibilities within the organization. The Congress party has become an organization of criminals in the country's politics. The court's decision is welcomeable, and everyone should welcome it. At the same time, the Congress should take action against such accused legislators,' Yadav told ANI.

On the other hand, Congress Media-in-charge Mukesh Nayak accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of misusing the constitutional institutions like the court, stressing the matter was around 25-years-old and the decision delivered just before the Rajya Sabha election in the state is about to take place.

'This is a nearly 25-year-old case, and a decision is being delivered on it today. The timing of these decisions is also quite unusual, especially when Rajya Sabha elections are due in Madhya Pradesh. While no comments can be made on the court's decision, I would like to say that the kind of political culture the BJP is practicing has made politics heartless, insensitive, and distorted. First, they try to get nomination forms rejected; if that does not work, they attempt changing sides. They then launch various kinds of attacks on a person's character and image. And when that too does not work, constitutional institutions like the Election Commission and the courts are used. This is what is happening,' Nayak said.

The Congress leader further alleged that a BJP MLA, Prahlad Lodhi, who is an MLA from Pawai, was sentenced to two years, and the speaker of the state Assembly declared his membership null and void, restricted his financial powers, and curtailed his political rights. The Speaker took action following the court's decision, but the high court later granted a stay on the decision.

Lodhi successfully completed his full term, and even half of another term is completed, yet the stay has still not been lifted in relation to that matter, he further claimed. (ANI)