A Delhi court Tuesday sentenced Congress MP Rasheed Masood to four years’ imprisonment after he was found guilty of corruption.
Special CBI Judge J.P.S. Malik held Masood guilty of fraudulently nominating undeserving candidates from across the country to the MBBS seats allotted to Tripura medical colleges from the central pool.
With the sentence, Masood lost his Rajya Sabha seat as he became the first casualty of the Supreme Court judgement that struck down sub-section 4 of Section 8 of Representation of the People Act, under which incumbent MPs and MLAs can avoid disqualification till pendency of the appeal against conviction in a higher court.
Special CBI Judge JPS Malik had held Masood guilty of offences under the Prevention of Corruption Act and IPC Sections 120-B (criminal conspiracy), 420 (cheating) and 468 (forgery). He has, however, been acquitted of the charge under Section 471 IPC (using as genuine a forged document).
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Masood had sought benefit of probation in the court, citing his long service to the nation and health reasons even as the CBI demanded nothing less than seven-year jail term for him and a hefty fine.
“I have been an MP for the last 30 years and I am a law-abiding citizen. Considering the nature of the case, my age and clean antecedents, I should be given the benefit of probation,” counsel for 67-year-old Masood had told Special CBI Judge JPS Malik while arguing on the quantum of sentence.
CBI prosecutor VN Ojha had, however, opposed his plea for probation, saying, “Rasheed Masood does not deserve anything less than seven years (in jail) and a hefty fine should be imposed because by nominating undeserving candidates including his own nephew, he had spoiled the career of meritorious students”.
