2009 rioting case: MP Congress MLA Jitu Patwari, 3 others gets one year jail

An MP-MLA court in Bhopal on Saturday sentenced former Madhya Pradesh minister and Congress MLA Jitu Patwari to one year imprisonment in nearly one-and-a-half decade old case of rioting and obstructing government officials from performing their duties.

Besides Patwari, three others, including former Congress MLA Krishnamohan Malviya, were also sentenced to one year imprisonment in the same case. A fine of Rs 10,000 on each (including Patwari) was imposed.

The court also issued notices to 13 other accused in the case, who were not present during the hearing on Saturday.

In 2009, Madhya Pradesh Congress had staged a massive protest over farmers issue, including hike in electricity bill in Rajgarh district. During the protest, a scuffle had broken out between the police the protesters.

Senior Congress leader and Rajya Sabha MP Digvijaya Singh was also got injured in stone pelting during the scuffle.

The police had then arrested 17 people, most of them were Congress leaders and workers and they were booked under Sections - 148, 294, 353, 332, 336, 506 (2), 427 of IPC and Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act 1984.

The Congress MLA from Rau Assembly seat in Indore, who was present in the court, said, "I respect the court's judgement with folded hands. But, I will keep fighting for the interest of farmers of Madhya Pradesh. I will challenge the decision before the High Court soon."

The Madhya Pradesh Congress has extended its support to Patwari and others, stating that party workers will never settle down for fighting for people's interests, no matter what action is taken against them.

"We respect the court's decision, but disagree with it. We will challenge this decision in the higher court. I want to make it clear that... It is the first duty of a leader to agitate for the rights of the society, it is in accordance with the basic spirit of the Constitution. This is what every Congress worker has learned from the Father of the Nation, Mahatma Gandhi. Entire Congress party is with Jitu Patwari," Madhya Pradesh Congress chief Kamal Nath said in a statement.