Madhya Pradesh MLA Disqualified Amid Conviction

Madhya Pradesh Congress MLA Rajendra Bharti was disqualified from the state assembly after being convicted in a cheating case. The Vidhan Sabha annulled his membership following a Delhi court's ruling. Bharti and a former bank employee were sentenced to three years for forging bank records for illicit gains.

Madhya Pradesh Congress MLA, Rajendra Bharti, has been disqualified from the state legislative assembly following his conviction in a high-profile cheating case. Authorities confirmed the decision on Friday, attributing the move to a Delhi court's ruling.

Bharti, who secured victory against former MP home minister and BJP leader Narottam Mishra in the 2023 assembly polls, saw his membership annulled by Vidhan Sabha officials. This followed a court directive sentencing Bharti to a three-year prison term for his involvement in a significant bank records forgery case spanning from 1998 to 2011.

Special Judge Dig Vinay Singh handed down the verdict on Thursday, which also involved levying a Rs 1 lakh fine against Bharti and his co-conspirator, former cashier Raghuvir Sharan Prajapati. Their convictions included charges of criminal conspiracy, cheating, forgery of a valuable security, and employing forged documents as genuine articles.

(With inputs from agencies.)