The Delhi High Court has rejected former Congress MLA Rajendra Bharti’s plea challenging his conviction in the 1998 Datia Cooperative Rural Development Bank fixed deposit fraud case. This decision paves the way for the Datia Assembly by-election in Madhya Pradesh to proceed as planned. Bharti’s disqualification from the Madhya Pradesh Assembly will continue following the High Court’s ruling, resolving the legal uncertainties surrounding the bypoll.
Bharti was found guilty by a special court in Delhi on April 1 this year for offenses including criminal conspiracy, cheating, and forgery. He was subsequently sentenced to three years in prison and fined. As a result of his conviction, Bharti was disqualified as an MLA under the Representation of the People Act, which mandates the disqualification of legislators sentenced to two years or more in jail.
The case revolves around alleged irregularities in a fixed deposit at the Datia Cooperative Rural Development Bank, where Bharti served as the chairman of the Board of Directors and a trustee. The prosecution claimed that bank records were manipulated to prolong the deposit’s tenure and claim interest. Despite arguments from Bharti’s legal counsel, the High Court upheld the trial court’s decision and dismissed the petition.
This legal development holds significance in the political landscape as it clears the path for the Datia bypoll, anticipated to be a direct contest between the BJP and the Congress. The Election Commission’s schedule outlines key dates for the by-election process, with nominations accepted until July 13, scrutiny on July 15, and the withdrawal deadline on July 17. Voting is scheduled for August 3, with the vote count set for August 6. Both the BJP and the Congress are yet to announce their candidates for the by-election.
