MBBS seats case: Congress MP Rasheed Masood gets 4 years in prison

New Delhi, Oct 1: A Delhi court on Tuesday pronounced four years sentence to the Rajya Sabha member from Congress Rasheed Masood, who has been found guilty in a case of corruption and in other offences.

According to reports, 67-year-old Masood, who will be taken to Tihar jail in Delhi, will not be allowed to contest elections for next six years.

Masood becomes the politician to lose his Rajya Sabha seat after the Supreme Court struck down a law that provided immunity to Members of Parliament and state legislatures from immediate disqualification.

On Sept 19, Special CBI Judge J P S Malik held Masood guilty of fraudulently nominating undeserving candidates from across the country to the MBBS seats allotted to Tripura medical colleges from the central pool.

Masood was found guilty of offences under the Prevention of Corruption Act and IPC Sections 120-B (criminal conspiracy), 420 (cheating) and 468 (forgery).

Masood was the minister of health in the 11-month V P Singh government.

He has also been held guilty on charge of using as genuine a forged document under Section 471 IPC.

During the arguments on quantum of sentence, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) that probed the case sought seven years' jail term for Masood, saying the "law-maker has become the law-breaker".

Masood was the minister of health in the 11-month V.P. Singh government between 1990 and 1991.

Earlier, Masood had sought benefit of probation in a Delhi court, citing his long service to the nation and health reasons even as CBI demanded nothing less than seven years jail term for him and a hefty fine.

"I have been an MP for the last 30 years and I am a law abiding citizen. Considering the nature of the case, my age and clean antecedents, I should be given the benefit of probation," counsel for Masood told Special CBI Judge J P S Malik while arguing on the quantum of sentence.

Rs 5 meal a day: Masood

In Juy this year, Masood had embroiled himself in a controversial remark over food. He had said, "You can eat a meal in Delhi in Rs 5, I don't know about Mumbai. You can get a meal for Rs 5 near Jama Masjid."

OneIndia News

(With PTI inputs)