Police give clean chit to Narendra Modi over non-disclosure of marriage

AHMEDABAD: Gujarat police today submitted a report before a local court saying that the Prime Minister-designate Narendra Modi had not committed any cognisable offence by not disclosing his marital status in his nomination form at the time of 2012 Assembly elections.

An AAP leader, Nishant Verma had approached the court, seeking a direction to the police to register a first information report against Modi over the non-disclosure of marital status in the election affidavit in 2012. Modi, when he contested Assembly elections earlier, never furnished information about his marital status, leaving the respective column blank. Only this time, when he stood for the Lok Sabha elections from Vadodara, he mentioned his wife's name (Jasoda Ben) in his affidavit, thereby declaring that he was married.

"No cognisable offence made out against Narendra Modi for leaving a column about his marital status blank in his affidavit filed before the Election Commission," a report by the city crime branch said. The report was submitted to the Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate M M Sheikh by the police.

Verma's lawyer, advocate Shamshad Pathan, said police had not given a copy of the report to his client. The Magistrate then directed the police to give Verma a copy and posted the matter for further hearing on June 7. Verma, in his complaint, has also sought action against the returning officer of Maninanagar Assembly constituency in 2012, P K Jedeja.

Verma wanted police to register FIR against Modi under the Indian Penal Code for giving a false statement, giving false evidence under oath, etc. When police did not entertain his complaint, he moved the court, which sought a report.