BJP MlA Asharani, her husband and former Samajwadi Party MlA Ashok Veer Vikram Singh alias Bhaiya Raja, along with four others were on Thursday sentenced to ten years rigorous imprisonment by a local court for abetting their domestic help to suicide.
The BJP legislator has become the first women public representative to face disqualification under the provisions of RP Act that disqualifies anybody who has been convicted under sections of various laws including the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988. Besides, she is also the first elected representative from the State who is set to be disqualified under the act.
Following her conviction, she cannot fight elections for next six years. According to the prosecution, maid Tijji Bai had committed suicide by setting herself afire on May 21, 2007 at Bhaiya Raja’s Kolar Road residence here. The former MlA exploited her physically while his wife and sitting MlA from Bijawar used to beat her and kept her without salary, the prosecution said. They also did not allow her to meet anyone.
Additional Sessions Judge Sayeeda Bano Rahman also imposed a fine of Rs 51,000 each on the couple. The sentence was awarded under relevant sections of the IPC. Besides, the court also awarded ten-year sentence to Kanhaiyalal 75, Narmada Pathak 35, Nijaji Dhimar 50 and Gopal Thakur 63 and also imposed a fine of Rs 5,000 each on them for helping the duo in committing the crime.
The BJP MlA could not be arrested as she was not present in the court when the judgment was pronounced. However, her husband Bhaiya Raja who is already facing life sentence for the murder of Vasundhara Bundela, a student of fashion designing and his grandniece was present in the court at the time of judgement.
He was once a terror in Isagarh and Pawai areas of Chhatarpur and Panna districts.