NEW DELHI: Though the Supreme Court had directed that all criminal cases against lawmakers – sitting and former – be completed within one year, a closer look at the pending cases against lawmakers from various parts of the country reveals that investigations into many of these cases have not made any progress even after several years.
In the case of Kerala Electricity Minister MM Mani, a murder case was registered against him in 1982. The trial of the case is yet to begin even after 36 years of the case being registered. Mani has been accused of murdering a Youth Congress worker. Similar is the case with former Karnataka chief minister and Shikaripura MLA BS Yeddyurappa. The BJP leader has 18 cases registered against him of which 10 could see him sentenced for life. However, the police or investigating agencies have not yet filed a chargesheet in a single case.
Punjab Chief Minister and Patiala Urban MLA Captain Amarinder Singh has a corruption case registered against him since 2007 but charges in the case are yet to be framed against him.Even cases under the stringent TADA Act against NCP MLA from Gujarat have been progressing at a snail’s pace.
For cases filed in 2012 under the Arms Act and Explosive Substance Act, which are punishable with life imprisonment, against former Tamil Nadu MLA Ramachandran, charges were framed only in 2017, a good five years after the case was registered.