Lucknow:

The Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court has stayed the district court’s conviction of Congress leader Raj Babbar in the 1996 attack on polling officials.

Justice Mohammad Faiz Alam Khan passed the order on Friday on an application filed by Babbar, 71, who objected to the court’s refusal to stay the conviction in the case.

Raj Babbar’s defense lawyer Gaurav Mehrotra said that on July 7, 2022, the district court found the leader guilty and sentenced him to two years in prison. Mr. Babar appealed to the court against the order.

While admitting the appeal, the court granted bail to Raj Babar but refused to stay the conviction.

It was argued that the trial court failed to properly consider the statements of important witnesses in its judgment. The application was opposed by the state government.

The High Court observed that Babar had been elected to Parliament five times and since the Election Commission had declared general elections, it was “undeniable” that Mr. Babar filed this application.

The court stayed Mr Babar’s conviction and ordered the state government to file a counter-affidavit in the matter. The next hearing in the case is scheduled for May 1, 2024.

On May 2, 1996, Krishna Singh Rana, the poll officer of Wazirganj police station, informed the then Samajwadi Party candidate Raj Babbar, An FIR was lodged by Arvind Singh Yadav and unknown persons.

It is alleged that Babar and his associates, who lied about false voting, beat up the complainant and Shiv Kumar Singh when Rana came out of polling station No. 192/103.

After the investigation, the police filed charges against Babar and Arvind Yadav on September 23, 1996.

After receiving the charge sheet, the trial court summoned the defendant. Later, Babar was charged on March 7, 2020. On July 7, 2022, Babar was convicted in this case.