Court sentences BJP MP to 6 months’ imprisonment

A Lucknow court has sentenced Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Rita Bahuguna Joshi to six months’ imprisonment for breaching the code of conduct during the 2012 UP assembly elections.
Additionally, a fine of Rs 1,100 has also been imposed on her.
Joshi, the current BJP MP from Prayagraj, was found guilty of convening a meeting in violation of the code of conduct on behalf of the Congress party by Special Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate of MP-MLA Court (MP-MLA Court) Ambrish Kumar Srivastava.
The prosecution informed the court that on February 17, 2012, at approximately 6:50 pm, Joshi, in her capacity as a Congress candidate for Lucknow Legislative Assembly Cantt constituency, was campaigning in the Bajrang Nagar area of Krishna Nagar, breaching the code of conduct. The prosecution alleged that Joshi addressed a public meeting even after the designated campaign period had concluded. Upon learning of the violation, Static Surveillance Magistrate Mukesh Chaturvedi proceeded to the location and observed Rita Bahuguna Joshi holding a meeting with around 50 people in Bajrang Nagar, documenting the incident on camera. Chaturvedi filed a report on the matter at Krishna Nagar Police Station. Following a police investigation, a charge sheet was submitted in the court against Joshi on September 12 of the same year. On February 20, 2021, the court framed charges against her under section 188 of the Indian Penal Code. Following the sentencing, the court took Joshi into custody. Subsequently, she was released on interim bail after providing a bond of Rs 20,000 and surety. Rita Bahuguna Joshi switched allegiance from the Congress party to the BJP before the 2017 assembly elections.