NEW DELHI: A local leader of Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) has been sentenced to stand in the court till its rising and slapped with a fine of Rs 6,000 by a Delhi court for defacing a public property by tying the party signboard on it.
Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Shailender Malik awarded the punishment "till the rising of the court" to BSP leader Inderjeet Singh for tying a signboard of the party on an electric pole carrying his name and photograph in 2009.
"Having heard the submissions and considering the nature of the offence, accused (Singh) is sentenced to imprisonment till rising of the court with fine of Rs 6,000," the court said.
According to the prosecution, in March 2009, when police were on patrolling, they found a big signboard of BSP with Singh's name on an electric pole at Harsh Vihar area of North East Delhi.
It said the board was also carrying the photograph of one surender Kumar also for publicity purpose.
Singh was arrested and later released on bail. He, however, had denied all the allegations levelled against him.
He was found guilty by the court under the provisions of the Prevention of Destruction of Public Property Act.
"The photographs (of signboard) also clearly corroborate their (police) evidence. If we carefully appreciate their evidence, I find that defacement has been proved clearly and as such the accused (Singh) stands convicted for the offence," the ACMM said.
Singh had sought leniency on the ground that he was the sole earner in his family and had limited earning resources.