VIJAY DEO JHA
Ranchi, April 7: Jharkhand assembly Speaker Rabindra Nath Mahto is learnt to have given his consent to issue a notification for the disqualification of Mandar MLA Bandhu Tirkey. The notification for his disqualification is likely to be issued within a couple of days.
As the CBI sent the judgment copy to the officer of the assembly speaker the matter was apparently placed before the Speaker on Thursday where he directed his office to start the process in the light of the court judgment and Representation of People’s Act.
On March 28, the court of Special Judicial Commissioner and CBI Prabhat Kumar Sharma awarded Bandhu Titkey three years of rigorous imprisonment and a fine of Rs three lakh. The court found him guilty under various sections of IPC and the Prevention of Corruption Act. The court said that Bandhu Tirkey misused his official position as MLA and minister in the Madhu Koda-led government to raise assets.
According to the law, if a public representative is convicted with a minimum of two years of imprisonment, he or she shall lose membership. Bandhu Tirkey will be disqualified from contesting the election. The law says that such conviction shall continue to be disqualified for a further period of six years since his release.
The case RC 5 (A)/ 2010 was lodged against him by the CBI for possessing disproportionate assets worth Rs 7.22 lakh. During the trial, the CBI produced 21 witnesses whereas Bandhu Titkey produced eight witnesses to prove his innocence. The investigation and the trial of this case always kept him on the tenterhook.
In 2008, petitioner Durga Oraon filed a PIL before the Jharkhand High Court to seek a probe of the assets of the then chief minister Madhu Koda and his cabinet ministers. After the High Court’s ruling, the CBI took up the investigation from the Vigilance Bureau. It registered cases in 2010 against Koda and his ministers. An inspector rank official of the CBI, SS Pari was asked to investigate the case of Bandhu Tirkey.
