J&K Congress Leader Rasool Terms UP Court Sentence ‘Minor Issue’
Srinagar: Former JKPCC president and party candidate for the Banihal Assembly segment Vikar Rasool Wani has shrugged off a Uttar Pradesh court’s sentencing him and five others to five months in prison and imposing a fine of ₹ 1,000 on each after finding them guilty of violating the Model Code of Conduct in an Assembly elections held way back in 2012.
“It is not a big issue or offence. We have filed an appeal in a higher court which has given us bail. In such cases, the accused are just given warning and let off in Jammu and Kashmir”, he told reporters on Friday. He added, “My workers and supporters should not be worried. Go and participate in this election without any fear. I’m not going to be arrested.”
As per the prosecution, a public meeting was organized by the Congress without permission at the Junior High School in Mithepur village of Gulaothi area the Bulandshahr city in the Bulandshahr district of UP during the 2012 Assembly elections. The court found the charges of violating the Model Code of Conduct against Mr. Wani who was then the Youth Congress general secretary and others to be valid and sentenced him, Bharat Bhushan Sharma, Sachin, Ikramuddin and Nazim to five months in prison and imposed a fine of one thousand rupees each.
Mr. Wani had addressed the gathering, leading to a case being registered against him and the others by then Block Development Officer Siyaram Varshney for violating the Model Code of Conduct. After being heard in the Special MP MLA Court, the court found the charges valid and handed down the sentence.
Mr. Wani was recently removed as the JKPCC chief and replaced by Tariq Hameed Karra. He had termed his removal as a conspiracy to stop him from becoming the next chief minister of J&K. He had told his supporters in home constituency Banihal, “I want to tell you clearly that several forces have been working behind the scenes to ensure that Vikar Rasool doesn’t become CM of J&K.”