SC jails Delhi ex-minister
The Supreme Court on Tuesday sentenced BJP MLA Harsharan Singh Balli to 3 months imprisonment for committing contempt of court by breaking the seals of unauthorised commercial establishments in the capital.
By TNN |
NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Tuesday sentenced BJP MLA Harsharan Singh Balli to 3 months imprisonment for committing contempt of court by breaking the seals of unauthorised commercial establishments in the capital. The shops were sealed in pursuance of the apex court order.
A bench comprising justice Arijit Pasayat, justice C K Thakker and justice L S Panta said that the MLA himself admitted that he broke the seals and pleaded that he did it in the capacity of a people’s representative. Such a plea cannot be sustained, said the court while passing the sentence.
“Mr Balli says he was conscious of the order. He says he broke open the seal as a people’s representative as he owed a duty to them. We don’t find any substance in it. We don’t expect that a people’s representative should act in such a brazen manner,” said justice Pasayat ordering the conviction on behalf of the bench.
The MLA, who was present in the court showed no signs of regret, and instead justified his act as a worthy one, saying that the court order was against the interests of the people. “I broke 22 seals in Raja Garden because I am a people’s representative. Your order is against the people,” said the MLA in a jam-packed court hall.
The MLA went on to say that the anti-people order of the court should be broken, that the apex court order was anti-people and the judges passing such orders should be penalised. He even said that the retirement benefits of the judge who passed the order on the sealing drive in the capital should be forfeited.
Balli complained that earlier he was sent to 15 days judicial custody on the false complaint of the apex court appointed monitoring committee for breaking seals of unauthorised structures in Tilak Nagar, whereas he actually broke them at Raja Garden.
“The court should order a CBI inquiry into the false complaint foisted on me and also award compensation for keeping me under detention on a wrong charge,” he said. The bench asked the committee to file a reply on the MLA’s contention and said it would take up the matter at the next hearing.
Unfazed by the conviction, the MLA asked the court whether he should surrender to the police or if he would be arrested. TTe bench replied the law would take its own course. Earlier, the court had issued a notice to the MLA after the monitoring committee appointed by it complained that the legislator personally went to several places in Tilak Nagar and broke the seals imposed by the MCD at the apex court’s instructions.
A bench comprising justice Arijit Pasayat, justice C K Thakker and justice L S Panta said that the MLA himself admitted that he broke the seals and pleaded that he did it in the capacity of a people’s representative. Such a plea cannot be sustained, said the court while passing the sentence.
“Mr Balli says he was conscious of the order. He says he broke open the seal as a people’s representative as he owed a duty to them. We don’t find any substance in it. We don’t expect that a people’s representative should act in such a brazen manner,” said justice Pasayat ordering the conviction on behalf of the bench.
The MLA, who was present in the court showed no signs of regret, and instead justified his act as a worthy one, saying that the court order was against the interests of the people. “I broke 22 seals in Raja Garden because I am a people’s representative. Your order is against the people,” said the MLA in a jam-packed court hall.
The MLA went on to say that the anti-people order of the court should be broken, that the apex court order was anti-people and the judges passing such orders should be penalised. He even said that the retirement benefits of the judge who passed the order on the sealing drive in the capital should be forfeited.
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The MLA however, clarified to the court that he had broken the seals of unauthorised constructions at Raja Garden and not Tilak Nagar as held by the monitoring committee. Balli complained that earlier he was sent to 15 days judicial custody on the false complaint of the apex court appointed monitoring committee for breaking seals of unauthorised structures in Tilak Nagar, whereas he actually broke them at Raja Garden.
“The court should order a CBI inquiry into the false complaint foisted on me and also award compensation for keeping me under detention on a wrong charge,” he said. The bench asked the committee to file a reply on the MLA’s contention and said it would take up the matter at the next hearing.
Unfazed by the conviction, the MLA asked the court whether he should surrender to the police or if he would be arrested. TTe bench replied the law would take its own course. Earlier, the court had issued a notice to the MLA after the monitoring committee appointed by it complained that the legislator personally went to several places in Tilak Nagar and broke the seals imposed by the MCD at the apex court’s instructions.
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