Former Haryana CM Om Prakash Chautala released from Tihar Jail

He was serving a 10-year prison term in a teacher recruitment scam case

July 02, 2021 12:06 pm | Updated 09:04 pm IST - Gurugram

Former Haryana Chief Minister and Indian National Lok Dal president Om Prakash Chautala addresses supporters at the Delhi-Gurugram border soon after his release from the Tihar jail on July 2, 2021.

Former Haryana Chief Minister and Indian National Lok Dal president Om Prakash Chautala addresses supporters at the Delhi-Gurugram border soon after his release from the Tihar jail on July 2, 2021.

Former Haryana Chief Minister and Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) leader Om Prakash Chautala was on Friday released from Tihar Central Jail on completion of a 10-year jail term in a teachers’ recruitment scam.

Addressing party workers assembled at the Delhi-Gurugram border to welcome him, the octogenarian leader said he would soon visit the farmers at the protesting sites to seek their blessings. He

thanked people for supporting his party against the “wrong” policies of the government and assured them that he would continue to fight for the poor, downtrodden and farmers.

Mr. Chautala stated that doctors had advised him rest for a few days, after which he would visit the protesting farmers. He would also visit villages across the country.

Mr. Chautala was jailed in 2013 in connection with the Junior Basic Training teachers recruitment scam case. He was on emergency parole since March 26, 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Sunaina Chautala, principal general secretary, women’s cell, INLD, said the release of Mr. Om Prakash Chautala had infused new energy into the workers and the party would return to power with a thumping majority.

A large number of workers holding party flags and sporting green headgear turned up at the Delhi-Gurugram border on National Highway-48 to welcome Mr. Chautala.

Abhay Chautala’s charge

INLD principal general secretary Abhay Chautala, at a press conference in Chandigarh, said the Congress was to be blamed for implicating his father in the recruitment scam. He said the then Congress government at the Centre connived with the CBI to implicate his father in the corruption case. He also accused the Aam Aadmi Party of delaying the release of his father for more than two years.

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