Court sentenced three years in prison, fine of Rs 10 lakh also imposed on former minister

The MP MLA Special Court Prayagaraj was sentenced to three years in jail for former minister Rakesh Dhar Tripathi in the disproportionate assets case. The court along with punishment also imposed a fine of Rs 10 lakh on him.

Special Court Judge Dr. Dinesh Chandra Shukla declared the former minister guilty and said that if the fine amount is not deposited, he will have to face additional imprisonment of six months.

The verdict was pronounced on Friday in the disproportionate assets case pending in the special court of MP MLA of Allahabad District Court against Rakesh Dhar Tripathi, who was a minister in the BJP and BSP governments. On June 18, 2013, Vigilance Establishment Prayagraj Zone Inspector Ram Subhag Ram registered a case against him in the disproportionate assets case at Muthiganj police station. It was alleged that the former minister had acquired huge wealth while he was a minister in the BSP government.

According to prosecution Ram Subhag Ram had registered a case against Rakesh Dhar at Muthiganj police station on 23 November 2012. Investigation was started and then the investigation was handed over to the Vigilance Department. After investigation, the Vigilance Department presented the charge sheet before the Sessions Judge in the Sessions Court of Varanasi. Advanced investigation was also done into the matter.

Sessions Court Varanasi had taken cognizance and started proceedings in the case. The former minister is accused of earning Rs 49,49,928 from all sources of income and legitimate sources while being a public servant as the Higher Education Minister of the Uttar Pradesh Government between May 1, 2007, and December 31, 2011. During this period, Rs 2,67,08,605 was spent on property acquisition and maintenance.

This is Rs 2,17,58,677 more than the income. A satisfactory explanation was not given for this, which falls in the category of a punishable offense under Section 13 (2) of the Anti-Corruption Act.

ED had also tightened its grip on the former minister after he found assets disproportionate to his income. The Enforcement Directorate has registered a case of money laundering against him in Prayagraj. The Enforcement Directorate team will detect illegally acquired properties and confiscate the properties. Earlier, Vigilance had completed the investigation in the case of disproportionate assets and filed a charge sheet.

On June 18, 2013, Vigilance filed a case of disproportionate assets against Rakeshdhar Tripathi at Muthiganj police station. A vigilance investigation revealed that from 2007 to 2011, Education Minister Rakeshdhar Tripathi earned Rs 49 lakh 49 thousand 928. But during this period he spent a total of Rs 2 crore 67 lakh.