HYDERABAD: The High Court of Telangana heard a plea challenging the election of Zaheerabad MP BB Patil, filed by Congress party’s candidate K Madhana Mohan Rao, alleging that the MP had suppressed certain facts regarding a criminal case on him, in his election affidavit.
Senior counsel K Vivek Reddy, who appeared on behalf of the petitioner, informed the court that BB Patil had suppressed the facts in his election affidavit and sidetracked the election commission. “He is facing a criminal case in Jharkhand, and a court in Jharkhand had imposed fine on him in the case. The court imposing a fine should also be treated as a punishment. This fact was not disclosed in his election affidavit,” the counsel said.
On behalf of Patil, Supreme Court senior counsel Harin Raval appeared and informed the court that the election petition cannot be adjudicated. “If a lower court imposes a fine, it shouldn’t be taken under the judicial purview. He (Patil) was just a stakeholder in a company which had litigations, and it was not necessary to disclose it in his election affidavit, and it is not a crime,” Raval told the court.
Justice A Abhishek Reddy adjourned the case to November 22.