A Delhi court on Friday sentenced former Haryana Chief Minister and INLD chief Om Prakash Chautala to four years imprisonment, Rs 50 lakh fine and attached four properties located at Delhi’s Hailey Road, Panchkula, Gurugram and Asola.
Rouse Avenue Court Special Judge Vikas Dhull had convicted the former Haryana CM in the disporportionate assets case against him earlier.
Besides, the Special Judge ordered Chautala to give Rs 5 lakh separately to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and said if the INLD chief failed to pay the amount to CBI, he would serve six more months in jail.
The Court ordered Chautala to be taken into custody from the court room itself.
The former Haryana Chief Minister sought 10 days to file an appeal in this case. The Judge suggested him to go to the High Court for the same.
Chautala was recently convicted by the Rouse Avenue court in New Delhi, after hearing both the prosecution as well as the defence. The Judge had kept the verdict reserved on Thursday.
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Chautala has asked for some leniency, citing his old age and health.
He had also requested the court to take in consideration the term he has already served in the JBT Teachers Recruitment Scam and also the fact about completing his class 10th and 12th education from the Tihar jail.
CBI has been asking the court to decide on the quantum of punishment on the crime committed and show no leniency while awarding punishment.
The prosecution further said that easing the punishment will send across a “wrong message” and the strictest possible punishment should be awarded to the convict.
Due to his advanced age, Chautala reached the court in a wheelchair. He was represented by Counsel Harsh Kumar Sharma, who apprised the court that Chautala has become 90 per cent disabled physically and has been suffering from a lung ailment.
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Chautala’s counsel apprised the court that the leader cannot move much and needs an attendant to even move around. The counsel also said that a lenient view should be considered. The court has asked Chautala to produce his physical-disability certificate.
The CBI said that they had filed a charge sheet against Chautala on March 26, 2010. The agency said that between 1993 and 2006, the seven-time MLA had collected assets worth over Rs 6.09 crore and more from his known source of income.
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