Speaker Dinesh Oraon, hearing a case filed by Babulal Marandi for over three years seeking disqualification six of its MlAs for defecting to the BJP, has fixed April 13 for legislator Janki Prasad Yadav, the last in the group to produce witnesses in his defence.
The court while listening to the case on Friday closed witnesses presented by Minister Randhir Singh. Singh on his part presented five witnesses before the Speaker. “Today was the turn of Randhir Singh to present his men and his lawyers brought five political workers associated with him before the Speaker’s court.
The Speaker has fixed April 13 as next date when MlA Janki Prasad Yadav has to present all his witnesses.
With this, the listed witnesses would come to the end,” said an Assembly official present in the court.
As per the ruling given by the Speaker, each of the six MlAs crossing over to the BJP after winning their Assembly elections on JVM’s ticket in 2015, had been given just one day each to bring all witnesses before the tribunal.
“The step has expedited the case else they were lingering in presenting their witnesses. Now when only Janki Prasad Yadav’s men are remaining, we expect finally the turncoats to present themselves in person before the court,” said JVM’s lawyer RN Sahay.
Yadav has named as many as eight witnesses. Earlier, four leaders out of six facing the trial namely Amar Kumar Bauri, Alok Chaurasia, Navin Jaiswal and Ganesh Kumar Ganjhu presented their witnesses.
“All these people have taken an identical plea before the court. They have been tutored in that way. We want this drive to exhaust as soon as possible and looking forward to grill the real men behind all the drama.
As things are going right now, I expect at least two MlAs to dispose at one date. If this happens, in the first week of May we would finish their cross examination and floor would be cleared for the final argument and decision. Already there has been inordinate delay in the case and it would have no meaning once the next election reaches,” said Sahay. The JVM in its repeated appeals before the Tribunal has been pressing hard to conclude the case sooner since the matter was languishing before the Speaker for fairly long time.
The party has also decided to go harder and indicated to approach the High Court if the tardy pace continues.
The Speaker by pruning the witness’ list has raised chances for an early decision which may also have its bearings on the current political setup in the State.