HP: MLA, Cong rebel’s father skip police appearance despite HC order

An independent MLA and the father of a Congress rebel on Friday defied a High Court order to join investigation in a case related to “electoral offences”, citing health issues, the police said.

The case against the duo, Hamirpur Independent MLA Ashish Sharma and Gagret’s now-disqualified MLA Chetanya Sharma’s father Rakesh Sharma, and others was registered on Sunday following a complaint lodged by Congress MLAs Sanjay Avasthi and Bhuvneshwar Gaur.

The Himachal Pradesh High Court on Tuesday granted them interim anticipatory bail.

After hearing of the anticipatory bail petition filed by Rakesh and Ashish, Justice Ranjan Sharma directed the applicants to register their presence in Boileauganj police station here on March 15 and cooperate in the investigation.

However, the duo did not go to the Boileauganj police station on Friday. Their advocates visited the police station and cited health reasons for their absence.

They produced medical certificates and asked for seven days of relaxation, the police said, adding that the high court would be informed about the development.

The Himachal Pradesh police had on Sunday registered a case against the duo and other MLAs over “electoral offences”, bribery and criminal conspiracy related to the recent Rajya Sabha polls in which six Congress MLAs had voted for the BJP candidate from the state.

The Congress legislators lodged a complaint alleging “horse trading,” financial influence, and criminal conspiracy, seeking investigations into money trading, helicopter and security force misuse, and criminal misconduct.