SC UPHOLDS CHAUTALA’S 10-YR JAIL TERM IN RECRUITMENT SCAM CASE
NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court Monday dismissed for mer Haryana chief minister OP Chautala and his son Ajay’s plea challenging their conviction and 10-year jail term in teachers’ recruitment scam, popularly known as the JBT scam.
“We are not inclined to entertain any of these appeals and they are dismissed,” said a bench of Justices FMI Kalifulla and Shiva Kirti Singh as it upheld the Delhi high court (HC) verdict sending the 80-year-old to jail in connection with the scam.
The special bench rejected the appeal of four more persons including Ajay Chautala’s seeking similar relief on the ground the HC verdict was a “reasoned one.”
It, however, gave liberty to the convicts to move the HC for interim relief such as release on parole on health ground.
The special bench was constituted on July 6 after Justice UU Lalit refused to be part of the bench hearing the appeals. Justice Lalit said he had appeared for some of the convicts in the case.
The SC had on May 15 already indicated that it would not entertain Chautala’s petition. During the hearing of Ajay Chautala’s appeal, the bench headed by Justice Kalifulla had said: “We are not inclined to entertain your appeal at this stage. Sorry we shall not interfere.” The bench had also refused to issue notice to the prosecuting agency, CBI, for reducing his sentence.
After much persuasion, the bench kept the appeal pending and gave him the liberty to file an application on seek interim bail or parole on medical ground. “Whatever medical assistance you require during your stay in jail, you can file an appropriate application and seek the relief,” the court had said.
The HC had on March 5 upheld the jail term awarded to Chautala, his son Ajay and three others, saying: “The overwhelming evidence showed the shocking and spine-chilling state of affairs in the country.”
The trial court had on January 16, 2013, convicted the father-son duo and 53 others, including two IAS officers, in the case.