Kota, Rajasthan:
A special court here on Thursday sentenced former BJP MP Bhawani Singh Rajawat and his aide Mahaveer Suman to three years in jail for 2022 Nian slapped a forest official in the office.
The SC/ST court also imposed a fine of Rs 20,000 each on the convicts and found them guilty under relevant sections of the IPC, including Section 353 (deterring public servant from discharge of duty by assault or criminal force), a public prosecutor said.
After his conviction, Rajawat told the media that he would appeal to the High Court. The former MLA from Kottaradpura also said he was acquitted under Section 3 of the Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes Act.
Rajawat and Suman were booked under Sections 332, 353, 34 of the IPC and Section 3(2) of the SC/ST Act on March 31, 2022, based on a complaint by the then Deputy Conservator of Forest (DCF) Ravi Kumar Meena. , the URL is Nayapura Police Station.
Mr. Rajawat and his supporters allegedly stormed the DCF’s office to protest against the halt in temple restoration work and slapped the DCF.
The police arrested Mr. Rajawat and Suman and the former MLA had to undergo judicial custody in jail for 10 days before being released on bail from the Rajasthan High Court.
A video clip of the incident went viral, showing Rajawat slapping the DCF with his left hand.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)