Court upholds judgment against Congress leader in Sirhind

Fatehgarh Sahib, May 30 (UNI) The Sessions Court here has upheld the judgment of a lower court sentencing Block Congress Committee Sirhind president Sadhu Ram Bhatmajra and his brother Vinod Kumar to jail term of one year and a fine of Rs 6,000 for tearing and destroying ballot papers.

The earlier decision was pronounced by the court of Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate (ACJM) on August 8, 2007 and the appeal was filed in the court of Sessions Judge, who has now dismissed it.

The Sirhind police had registered a case under various sections of IPC and Punjab State Election Commission Act against Bhatmajra, who was president of Block Congress Committee, and his brother Vinod Kumar on June 29, 2003, on the complaint of polling staff posted at polling booth at Bhatmajra village.

According to police sources, Sadhu Ram, in fray for the post of sarpanch from Bhatmajra village, was trailing by 24 votes even after recounting twice on his request.

When denied a third re-counting, he misbehaved with polling staff, tore and destroyed ballot papers while his brother Vinod Kumar ran away with some ballot papers.

UNI XC JN JS1930