Former PM Rao sentenced to 3 years in jail
Former PM Rao sentenced to 3 years in jail
NEW DELHI (Agencies): A special Indian court sentenced former
prime minister P.V. Narasimha Rao and a cabinet colleague to
three years in jail on Thursday after they were convicted last
month in a vote-buying case.
"I hereby sentence the accused P.V. Narasimha Rao and Buta
Singh to rigorous imprisonment up to three years and a fine of
100,000 rupees ($2,150)," special court judge Ajit Barihoke said
in his order at the high security courtroom.
But Barihoke granted bail to Rao and Buta Singh till Nov. 8
allowing them to appeal against the order.
They were released on 200,000 rupees bail until Nov. 8, giving
them a chance to appeal.
The judge also ordered the Central Bureau of Investigation,
the equivalent of the FBI in the United States, to file bribe-
taking charges against the four lawmakers who received the 16.8
million rupees in bribe money. One of them had helped the
prosecution and was the main witness in the case.
The Supreme Court had earlier ruled that the four had
parliamentary immunity from prosecution. But Bharihoke said the
men's bribe taking occurred outside Parliament.
Rao came out of the courtroom surrounded by lawyers and armed
commandos who protect him because of his former high office. A
special guest house in South Delhi was being prepared for his
imprisonment, the Press Trust of India reported, because it is
believed he would be in danger if he was sent to a regular
prison.
The "rigorous imprisonment" that the judge imposed usually
means fewer privileges and a substandard class of prison.
Rao would have to surrender on Nov. 8 if he did not get bail
from a higher court, a lawyer said. "If he gets bail, then this
sentence will be suspended," he said.
Rao, who started India's free-market reform program, is the
first Indian prime minister or former prime minister to ever face
criminal charges. Former prime minister Indira Gandhi was
summoned to court in 1975 to face civil charges in a case of
election irregularities, but was never punished.
Rao sat patiently as Barihoke delivered the judgment in the
courtroom packed with media and security personnel. Buta Singh
was accompanied by supporters and family members. Later, the
former prime minister's supporters started trickling into his
sprawling bungalow in the heart of New Delhi.
"We are going to appeal against the conviction and sentence in
the High Court. I argued for a minimum sentence and the judge
thought it fit to give a three-year sentence," Rao's defense
counsel R.K. Anand said.
He said Rao was calm when he heard the sentence.
"We are confident we will succeed in the appeal in the High
Court," he added.
The vote-buying case involved allegations that in 1993 Rao
tried to influence a parliamentary vote of no-confidence by
bribing four lawmakers of a regional group. Rao's minority
government defeated the no-confidence motion by a narrow margin.
Rao, now 79, quit in disgrace as head of the Congress Party
after the party suffered a humiliating defeat in general
elections in 1996.
In 1997, a special court of inquiry indicted Rao and 19 others
on charges of abetting bribery after lawmakers of the Jharkhand
Mukti Morcha (JMM) party alleged they were paid $100,000 to vote
against the no-confidence motion.
Earlier, the Central Bureau of Investigation had filed a case
accusing Rao and other Congress leaders of buying the vote. They
had denied any wrongdoing.
Thursday's sentence is the latest blow for Rao who led India
for five years from 1991 and oversaw major cuts in trade and
investment barriers before suffering a crushing defeat in general
elections in 1996.