Sitting BJP MP From Prayagraj Gets Six Month Imprisonment For Violating Election Code (Photo on X Prof. Rita Bahuguna Joshi MP Prayagraj @RitaBJoshi)

A Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP representing the Prayagraj constituency in Uttar Pradesh Yesterday (Friday) got six-month jail term after being convicted of a poll code violation during the 2012 UP assembly election. A special Lucknow court for the MLA and MPs sentenced Rita Bahuguna Joshi to a six months imprisonment along with a fine of Rs 1,100.

Rita Bahuguna Joshi, the Prayagraj BJP MP, was a Congress candidate back in 2012 when a case of violation of the model code of conduct was registered against her. She was campaigning in the Bajrang Nagar area of Krishna Nagar even after the declared time for the election campaign was over. After quitting Congress, Rita Bahuguna had joined the BJP before the 2017 assembly election.

During 2012 assembly election, after the authorities were informed about the violation of the election code, the then Static Surveillance Magistrate Mukesh Chaturvedi had reached to the campaigning spot and found Rita Bahuguna Joshi holding a meeting with a crowd of about 50 people in Bajrang Nagar. He had also reportedly recorded the video of the incident.The Static Surveillance Magistrate had also reported the case at Krishna Nagar Police Station.

The police after an investigation had made a charge sheet in the court against the then Congress candidate in 2012. It was in 2021, February that the Court framed charges against the BJP MP and took her into custody after sentencing. However, she later got bail upon furnishing a bond of Rs 20,000 and surety.