A Delhi court on Tuesday sentenced a Congress MLA and his associate to three years in prison for obstructing a sealing drive to shut down certain pollution-causing industries in northeast Delhi in 2001.

The accused had allegedly assaulted government officers conducting the drive, which had been carried out on orders of the Supreme Court.

Metropolitan magistrate Dharmender Rana held MLA Mateen Ahmed from Seelampur and his associate, ex-councillor Jameer Ahmed, guilty of rioting, assault and causing hurt to prevent public servants from doing their duty.

"A leader is expected to lead by conduct. It is a very dangerous trend for our democracy that some persons openly and impudently dare to defy the judgments of the apex court and consider themselves to be the law," the judge said.