1,300 Cases Pending Against Lawmakers, Including Ministers

...but look what some in executive are busy with

The Economic Times 11 Mar. 08 Tuesday P 2 Delhi

THE CENTRE on Monday told Parliament that there are as many an as 1,300 cases pending against MPs and MLAs in various courts. They include cases being investigated by CBI against railway minister Lalu Prasad, who is being tried in relation with the fodder scam, and those against current and former UP chief ministers Mayawati and Mulayam Singh in disproportionate assets cases.

Union law and justice minister H R Bhardwaj told the Upper House on Monday in a written reply that as on March 31, 2007, there were 1,300 cases pending against legislators. The CBI reported that it was investigating around 65 such cases.

Mr Bhardwaj was quoting figures gathered by the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Personnel, Public Grievances, Law and Justice, while studying electoral reforms. The committee, in the course of its work, found out the number of chargesheets filed against sitting MPs and MLAs in different courts of law by asking all state governments and UT s to provide requisite data. The information from the states that furnished it showed that 1,300 cases are pending against legislators in various courts, Mr Bhardwaj told the Rajya Sabha.

Other than RJD president Lalu Prasad, JMM chief Shibu Soren, who was in the Union cabinet earlier, is facing trial in a murder case. He was acquitted in the Chirudih massacre case recently. He was cleared of charges in the murder of his secretary by a Delhi court some time back.

BJP prime ministerial candidate L K Advani and senior leader Murli Manohar Joshi, both MPs, are being tried in the Babri Masjid demolition case. Among those in government, Union ministers M A A Fatmi, Jay Prakash Narayan Yadav and Mohammad Taslimuddin also have cases pending against them.

These ministers, along with party chief Lalu Prasad, have been targeted by the Opposition BJP for being tainted and the party has asked for their resignation from the government several times.

Other than these names, RJD MP Mohammad Shahbuddin and SP MP Atiq Ahmed have also made it frequently to the headlines in connection with several criminal cases.

With thanks from The Economic Times
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