LUCKNOW: Cabinet Minister in the Yogi Adityanath government Rakesh Sachan was sentenced to one-year imprisonment in a case under the Arms Act with a fine of Rs 1,500. A Kanpur court of Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate later granted bail on Monday.
Government counsel Sanjay Gupta said since the sentence awarded to the cabinet minister was for less than three years, the court released him on bail. Sachan was granted bail on a bond of Rs 50,000. Uncertainty loomed over Sachan’s assembly membership. Had he been sentenced to three years or more, he would have ceased to become an MLA.
Sachan had surrendered before the court on Monday morning after “disappearing” from the courtroom with a copy of the court order following his conviction on Sunday. The Kanpur police had launched a probe into his disappearance based on a complaint lodged by the additional chief metropolitan magistrate court reader Kamini.
As per a senior police officer, the complaint filed by the court reader said the presiding officer held Rakesh Sachan guilty in the case and started the hearing on the quantum of the sentence. When the presiding officer went inside his chamber, Sachan’s lawyer sought the file to check the order.
Sachan was booked in a case under the Arms Act on August 13, 1991 after he had allegedly failed to produce the licence for a rifle found in his possession in Naubasta area of Kanpur by the district police. Sachan had then claimed the rifle belonged to his grandfather, according to the prosecution. He was found guilty by the court in the case on August 6.
However, while going to surrender before the court on Monday morning, Sachan said he was appearing before the court despite not being given any notice, adding the case against him was bogus. “I am doing so because the media painted me as an absconder. Whatever the court decides, I will abide by it", he said.
After the pronouncement of the quantum of punishment, Sachan said he respected the court’s verdict but would go in appeal in the sessions court.
To remain MLA
Uncertainty loomed over Sachan’s assembly membership. Had he been sentenced to three years or more, he would have ceased to become an MLA.