Congress MLA Arif Masood has approached the Supreme Court following a Jabalpur High Court directive on an election petition by BJP’s Dhruv Narayan Singh. Singh alleges Masood concealed a loan in his nomination papers. The case, involving banking irregularities and potential election violations, has significant political implications for Masood and the Congress party in Madhya Pradesh.
Bhopal: Congress MLA Arif Masood, representing the Bhopal Central Assembly seat, has approached the Supreme Court following a directive from the Jabalpur High Court. The High Court had given him a final opportunity to present a new list of witnesses in response to an election petition filed by BJP candidate Dhruv Narayan Singh. The petition accuses Masood of failing to disclose a loan in his nomination papers, leading to a significant legal battle.
The controversy stems from allegations by BJP’s defeated candidate Dhruv Narayan Singh. Singh claims that Masood and his wife had taken a loan from the State Bank of India’s Ashok Nagar branch, but this information was not disclosed in Masood’s nomination form during the elections.
Singh’s petition argues that concealing this financial detail violates election norms, rendering Masood’s election invalid. As per directions from the Supreme Court, the Jabalpur High Court is now meticulously examining the documents to determine the veracity of the claims.
The case took an intriguing turn when the High Court summoned the former manager of SBI Ashok Nagar branch for testimony. The bank manager revealed startling details, stating that some employees had fraudulently sanctioned loans in the name of Arif Masood and his wife.
He further testified that
“there is no entry of loan in the name of Masood and his wife in the bank’s records, and the account has been declared as NPA (Non-Performing Asset).”
He also claimed that he was misled into signing a recovery letter, but no official recovery letter was ever issued to Masood or his wife.
The case has now been referred to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for a deeper probe into the alleged banking irregularities.
The legal proceedings have seen intense arguments from both sides. Advocate Namrata Pandit, representing the petitioner, highlighted the discrepancies in the loan disclosure and its implications on election transparency. On the other hand, senior advocate Ajay Gupta, defending Arif Masood, argued for dismissing the petition.
The High Court, however, made it clear that the documents are not fabricated and that they will be evaluated based on their merits. In a recent order, the High Court instructed Masood to submit a new list of witnesses while awaiting the Supreme Court’s decision.
The case now hinges on the Supreme Court’s instructions, as the High Court has stated that further hearings will only proceed after receiving the apex court’s guidance. The order from the Supreme Court is critical to determining the next steps in this contentious legal battle.
The outcome of this case could have significant political ramifications for both Arif Masood and the Congress party in Madhya Pradesh. If the allegations are proven, Masood could face serious consequences, including disqualification from his MLA position.
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