Delhi Court Sends Congress MLA, Ex-Banker to Jail for Forgery Scheme

A Delhi court sentenced Congress MLA Rajendra Bharti and ex-bank employee Raghuvir Sharan Prajapati to three years in prison for a cheating case involving forged bank records. Despite pleading for leniency, the court imposed a fine and sentenced them for undermining public trust in the banking system.

A Delhi court has sentenced Madhya Pradesh Congress MLA Rajendra Bharti and a former bank employee, Raghuvir Sharan Prajapati, to three years' imprisonment each in a high-profile cheating case involving the forgery of bank documents. The scheme allowed them to obtain illegal interest payments from the late 1990s through 2011.

Public prosecutor Manish Rawat argued for the maximum penalty, emphasizing the breach of trust by Bharti, a former chairman of the Zila Sahkari Krishi Aur Grahmin Vikas Bank, and Prajapati, an accountant. The case was seen as a significant breach of public trust in the banking system, with the duo manipulating records to illicitly extend high-interest payments.

While the defense sought leniency citing health issues, Special Judge Dig Vinay Singh insisted that restitution would better serve justice than incarceration. Both defendants were fined Rs 1 lakh and are allowed to remain on bail for 60 days to appeal the verdict at a higher court.

(With inputs from agencies.)