Mumbai: Congress leader and former minister Sunil Kedar has approached the Bombay High Court seeking stay on the five-year sentence awarded to him in connection with misappropriation of funds of a bank. He has filed two pleas before the Nagpur bench of HC.
On December 22, Kedar, a five-term MLA from Saoner in Nagpur, was sentenced to five years in jail by a magistrate court in Nagpur for alleged criminal breach of trust in a case linked to the Nagpur District Central Cooperative Bank when he was the chairman between 1999 and 2002.
A day after his conviction, he was disqualified. As per the law, a legislator loses membership of the House with immediate effect if convicted in a crime and sentenced to over two years’ imprisonment. However, the disqualification can be reversed on grounds including a stay on the conviction.
Kedar currently lodged in Nagpur Central Jail
The sessions court at Nagpur rejected his plea against his conviction on December 30 and also refused to stay the punishment. Currently he is lodged in Nagpur Central Jail.
Kedar’s plea contends that the trial court had erred in considering crucial evidence. The appeal also said he is a senior citizen and that the case extended for an extraordinary period of 21 years, which took a toll on him.
Moreover, he contended that he had complied with all the bail conditions imposed at the time of the trial. Seeking suspension of sentences, he said that if the same is not stayed, it would mean a long time in jail even though there is no incriminating evidence against him.
The high court is likely to hear his appeals on Wednesday.
Kedar and four others were convicted on charges of criminal breach of trust, criminal conspiracy, forgery under the Indian Penal Code. The court had directed them to pay a fine of Rs12.5 lakh.
The case related to Nagpur District Central Cooperative Bank Ltd (NDCC) with allegations that related to irregularities in transactions of the bank, which came to light during an audit first by National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development and then another audit on directions of the cooperative commissioner in 2002.
