AAP Legislator Naresh Yadav Sentenced to Two Years in Prison in Punjab
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Chandigarh, Nov 30 (NationPress) A court in Malerkotla, Punjab recently handed down a two-year prison sentence to Naresh Yadav, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA representing Delhi’s Mehrauli. He was also fined Rs 11,000 in relation to the 2016 Quran sacrilege case.
The decision was made by Additional District and Sessions Judge Parminder Singh Grewal after a protracted legal battle, with the conviction announced just a day prior.
This conviction is a pivotal moment in the contentious case that has attracted both political and public scrutiny over the years, particularly as Malerkotla is known for its significant Muslim population.
In March 2021, both Yadav and another individual, Nand Kishore, were previously acquitted by a lower court due to insufficient evidence from the police.
The controversy began when torn pages of the Quran were discovered in Malerkotla on June 24, 2016, prompting police to file charges against Vijay Kumar and two others, including Nand Kishore and Gaurav Kumar. Eventually, Yadav was implicated based on circumstantial evidence.
Following Yadav’s acquittal in 2021, a local resident named Mohammad Ashraf filed an appeal on April 19, 2021, which led to a review of the case and ultimately his conviction.
In 2018, Yadav had called for an investigation into a suspicious transaction of Rs 90 lakh in Vijay Kumar’s bank account, suggesting potential links to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).
The police had initially filed charges under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, including Section 295-A (malicious acts aimed at outraging religious sentiments), Section 153-A (promoting enmity between different religious groups), Section 124-A (sedition), and Section 120-B (criminal conspiracy). However, the court later dismissed the sedition charges.
Vijay Kumar, the main accused, was noted for inciting violence and had previously been associated with the RSS.
