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Jharkhand Speaker adjourns hearing on disqualification of 3 Congress legislators
The three suspended Jharkhand Congress legislators, who were caught with ₹49 lakh cash in their car on the outskirts of West Bengal’s Howrah on July 30, sought more time to file their reply
Jharkhand assembly speaker Rabindra Nath Mahto on Wednesday adjourned the hearing on the disqualification complaint moved by Congress legislature party leader Alamgir Alam against three suspended party legislators----Irfan Ansari, Naman Bixel Kongari and Rajesh Kacchap---after the three MLAs filed a petition seeking eight weeks to file their reply.
“We have received the affidavit and the defendants have sought more time. The compliant has also put forth his view,” the Speaker said after a brief hearing and adjourning the matter for an undisclosed date.
Appearing on behalf of the suspended Congress legislators, advocate Indrajeet Sinha argued before the Speaker that time be granted as the three legislators, who too joined the proceedings through video conferencing, are stuck in Kolkata due to their bail condition and hence be given time.
However, the complainant’s lawyer Ujjwal Anand opposed the move describing it as delaying tactics.
“There is Supreme Court Judgement that such proceedings ought to be completed in three weeks. They are seeking eight weeks time. If they could appear before the tribunal through video conferencing, they could also file their reply. At best they should be given a reasonable time,” said Anand.
Inderjeet Sinha further prayed that though he has sought eight week time, he would be fine with a reasonable extension as being argued by the complainant.
Also Read |3 Jharkhand Congress MLAs caught with ₹49 lakh remanded in Bengal CID’s custody
The three suspended Congress legislators who were arrested in Kolkata on July 30 with cash, which their party alleged was paid to topple the Hemant Soren government, are now facing disqualification from the Jharkhand assembly.
Speaker Mahto on August 26 issued notices to the three Congress legislators seeking their clarification on the complaint. The Speaker sent the notice on recommendation of Congress legislature party leader Alamgir Alam. During the first hearing on September 1, the three legislators sought deferment of the hearing as they were not in a position to join the proceedings online.
The three suspended legislators are currently in Kolkata, as per the condition laid by Calcutta high court while granting them interim bail, even as the West Bengal CID is investigating the case.
Also Read | Congress suspends 3 MLAs, says cash meant to topple Jharkhand govt
The three MLAs were caught with ₹49 lakh cash in their car on the outskirts of Howrah on July 30.
A day later, Congress legislator Anup Singh got a zero FIR registered in Ranchi alleging the trio was part of a conspiracy to topple the Jharkhand government in association with Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders and offered him ₹10 crore for switching sides. The Kolkata police booked the three legislators under relevant sections based on the FIR filed by Singh.
Later, based on the complaint of three Congress legislators Anup Singh, Shilpi Neha Tirkey and Bhushan Bara, who alleged that the three suspended MLAs had approached them with offers to switch sides and topple the Hemant Soren goverment, Alamgir Alam recommended the Speaker to initiate disqualification proceedings against the three legislators under the anti-defection law.
The disciplinary committee of the party earlier separately sought clarification from the three legislators, to which they have already responded.
With 18 legislators including Pradeep Yadav, who joined the Congress after winning 2019 assembly polls on Jharkhand Vikas Morcha (Prajatantrik) ticket following a split and merger of the latter with the BJP, the Congress is the second major constituent of the three-party ruling alliance led by Soren.
Due to the bail conditions, the three legislators could not participate in the one-day session of the Assembly on Monday wherein the ruling JMM-Congress-RJD brought a confidence motion and proved its majority in the house.
