SC dismisses former Jharkhand CM Madhu Koda’s plea seeking suspension of conviction to contest polls
While Koda cited the court’s ruling that suspended the conviction of a BSP MP, the bench said that the case was different as it involved a sitting legislator.
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The Supreme Court on Friday dismissed former Jharkhand Chief Minister Madhu Koda’s petition seeking the suspension of his conviction and sentence in a coal scam case, so that he could contest the Jharkhand Assembly elections, Live Law reported.
A bench of Justices Sanjiv Khanna and Sanjay Kumar dismissed the special leave petition challenging the October 18 decision of the Delhi High Court that rejected Koda’s plea to suspend his conviction.
The former chief minister cited the Supreme Court’s judgement in the case of Bahujan Samaj Party MP Afzal Ansari, whose conviction was suspended in December 2023. However, the bench clarified that the case pertaining to Ansari was different because it involved a sitting legislator.
“Several factors have to be taken into consideration for stay of conviction, which is not a matter of routine,” the bench remarked. “In Afzal, the appellant was a sitting member of legislature. This is not a factual situation here.”
Ansari was convicted in April 2023 in a case filed under the Uttar Pradesh Gangsters and Anti-Social Activities Prevention Act.
The bench said that there would be no irreversible consequences if Koda’s conviction was not stayed.
Koda, who joined the Bharatiya Janata Party in August, was the chief minister between September 2006 and August 2008. The BJP has fielded his wife Geeta Koda in...
