LUCKNOW: The Allahabad High Court on Thursday scrapped the two-year jail term given to a former Congress MP and her associates for stopping a train during a protest, saying the punishment given by the trial court was excessive.
The Lucknow Bench of the court, however, upheld the fine imposed on them for stopping the train at the Unnao railway station during the protest in 2017.
The trial court had awarded two-year jail term to former Congress MP Annu Tandon and her associates in the case and also imposed fine a fine of Rs 25,000 on each of them.
The Bench of Justice D K Singh passed the order while partly allowing an appeal filed by Annu Tandon and her associates against the verdict of a special court meant to hear cases against legislators.
"The appellants have already deposited the said fine, hence, they need not to deposit any further fine," said the HC Bench.
The Bench said except for detaining the train for 15 minutes, there was no damage to private or public property by the protesters and by and large it was a peaceful and symbolic protest.
The Bench observed, "Citizens of this country are not permitted to violate a law enacted by the legislation while exercising their right to protest, freedom of speech and expression."
The Railway Police had registered the case on June 12, 2017.