The Delhi High Court on Thursday stayed the four-year jail term awarded to ex-Samata Party president Jayalakshmi Jaitly in a corruption case related to a purported defence deal.
Justice Suresh Kumar Kait said that keeping in view the facts that Ms. Jaitly “was not arrested in the present case, however, without commenting on the merits of the appeal, I am of the view that the appellant [Ms. Jaitly] deserves suspension of sentence during the pendency of the appeal”.
The court has also issued notice to CBI on Ms. Jaitly’s plea challenging the trial court’s judgment of July 21 and order on sentence of July 30 where Ms. Jaitly has been sentenced to undergo rigorous imprisonment for four years with fine of ₹50,000 for the offence punishable under Section 120-B of the Indian Penal Code and Section 9 of Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988.
Ms. Jaitly and two others were held guilty of corruption in a 2000-01 case related to a purported defence deal. It was argued by Ms. Jaitly’s counsel that she was neither caught red-handed accepting the money nor she is beneficiary of the money as alleged. Moreover, she was not arrested and faced the trial and continued to appear before the trial court as and when directed, her counsel stated.
“In addition, during the present pandemic situation, the appeal is not likely to be heard, anytime soon, therefore, the sentence of the appellant may be suspended during pendency of the appeal,” her plea stated.
