Delhi HC notice on OP Chautala's plea against conviction in disproportionate assets case

The Delhi High Court on Thursday issued notice on a plea by former Haryana Chief Minister Om Prakash Chautala, challenging a trial court order which had convicted and sent him to four years of imprisonment in connection with a disproportionate assets (DA) case.

Issuing notice in the matter, Justice Yogesh Khanna posted the matter for further hearing on July 25.

During the course of the hearing, Chautala's counsel submitted that his client was convicted for a period of four years, arguing that he had already undergone imprisonment of five years and six months and the further jail term is a violation of settled judicial decisions of the Supreme Court.

On May 27, the city's Rouse Avenue Court sentenced Chautala to four years in prison and slapped a fine of Rs 50 lakh in connection with the disproportionate assets case, in which he was convicted earlier.

In the last hearing, the probe agency opposed Chautala's lawyer, who argued for a concession on medical grounds for the 87-year-old politician. Instead, the Central agency argued for maximum punishment, pointing out that the convict is a public figure. If the punishment is less for him, it would send the wrong message to society. It was also argued that Chautala is convicted for the second time and does not have a clean image. Chautala was also convicted in the JBT scam in January 2013.

In 2008, Chautala and 53 others were charged in connection with the appointment of 3,206 junior basic trained teachers in Haryana from 1999 to 2000. In January 2013, a court sentenced Om Prakash Chautala and his son Ajay Singh Chautala to ten years imprisonment under various provisions of the IPC and the Prevention of Corruption Act. Chautala was found guilty of illegally recruiting over 3,000 unqualified teachers.

Out on parole, Chautala was released from Tihar Jail on July 2, 2021, during his 10-year prison sentence after completing due formalities.

He was the Chief Minister of Haryana four times between 1989 to 2005. His grandson Dushyant Chautala is the Deputy Chief Minister of Haryana.