Arvind Kejriwal arrested: Former Chief Ministers who have been jailed till date
PTC News Desk: Following reports, it appears that no special bench was convened on Thursday night to address Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's plea against his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate.
Arvind Kejriwal Arrested: Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has been apprehended by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with the Delhi excise policy scam case. His arrest, occurring just days before the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, has drawn condemnation from opposition parties, including those within the I.N.D.I.A. bloc, of which the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is a member.
Notably, Delhi CM Kejriwal marks the first instance of a sitting chief minister being detained by a law enforcement agency. While there have been prior cases of chief ministers facing corruption allegations, Kejriwal's arrest sets a significant precedent in Indian political history.
Former Bihar Chief Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav found himself incarcerated in connection with the notorious fodder scam, a scandal entailing the misappropriation of public funds designated for livestock feed procurement. Accused of diverting substantial sums of public money over an extended period, Yadav's involvement in the creation of counterfeit bills facilitated embezzlement. The scandalous affair, unraveling in the 1990s, resulted in Yadav's conviction in 2013, leading to a five-year imprisonment term and his disqualification from holding elected office.
As the Rashtriya Janata Dal supremo, Lalu Prasad Yadav's entanglement in the CBI chargesheet pertaining to the fodder scam emerged in 1997. Under mounting pressure from the opposition, Yadav resigned from his position, paving the way for his wife, Rabri Devi, to assume the mantle of Chief Minister.
The late former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, J Jayalalithaa, found herself embroiled in a high-profile corruption case, accused of accumulating assets exceeding her known income during her tenure. Allegations surfaced regarding her possession of vast properties, jewelry, and other assets suspected to have been acquired through dubious means. In 2014, she faced conviction and a four-year prison sentence, resulting in her ousting as Chief Minister.
Jayalalithaa lodged an appeal and secured acquittal in 2015 from the Karnataka High Court, subsequently reclaiming her position. However, her acquittal faced challenge from the Karnataka government, leading to the Supreme Court reinstating the conviction in 2017. Tragically, Jayalalithaa passed away before the final verdict.
In 2014, following her conviction in the disproportionate assets case by a Bengaluru court, Jayalalithaa was compelled to relinquish her post, leading to the ascension of O Panneerselvam as Chief Minister.
Former Haryana Chief Minister Om Prakash Chautala found himself entangled in a corruption scandal revolving around teacher recruitment in the early 2000s. Accusations surfaced regarding irregularities and corrupt practices in the selection process. In 2013, both Chautala and his son, Ajay, faced convictions on various charges, including cheating and forgery, resulting in 10-year prison terms.
Despite appeals, their convictions stood firm, upheld by both the Delhi High Court and the Supreme Court in 2015. Om Prakash Chautala, the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) chief and son of former Deputy Prime Minister Chaudhary Devi Lal, faced further legal woes in 2022. He was convicted for amassing assets disproportionate to his known lawful sources of income during his tenure as Chief Minister from July 24, 1999, to March 5, 2005.
However, in a twist, the Delhi High Court suspended a four-year sentence handed to him in the case in 2022, adding a layer of complexity to the ongoing legal saga.
Madhu Koda, the former Chief Minister of Jharkhand, faced a tumultuous legal battle over corruption charges during his tenure. Accusations of money laundering and amassing disproportionate assets marred his reputation. Koda was implicated in a mining scandal, accused of awarding mining contracts in exchange for bribes, resulting in substantial financial gains for himself and his associates, reportedly exceeding Rs 4,000 crore.
After his arrest in 2009, Koda was granted bail in 2013, but his assets worth Rs 144 crore were seized in connection with a money laundering case. In 2017, he was convicted and sentenced to three years in prison, accompanied by a fine of Rs 25 lakh. Notably, Koda, who served as the youngest Chief Minister of Jharkhand from 2006 to 2008, faced scrutiny from both the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for alleged bribery related to coal and mining block allocations during his tenure.
The former Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh and leader of the Telugu Desam Party (TDP), Chandrababu Naidu, faced a significant legal setback on September 9, 2023. He was arrested on allegations of misappropriating funds from the Skill Development Corporation, purportedly resulting in a loss exceeding Rs 300 crore to the state exchequer. Presently, Naidu is out on interim bail, with his regular bail plea scheduled for hearing by the Andhra Pradesh High Court on November 10.
This arrest marked the culmination of an ongoing legal battle, initiated last year, revolving around a skill development case. Naidu's apprehension is linked to a purported multi-crore scam associated with the skill development corporation during his tenure as Chief Minister.
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In a significant legal saga, Shibu Soren, the father of Hemant Soren, found himself embroiled in a controversial case that unfolded over several years. On December 5, 2006, a Delhi court handed down a life sentence to Shibu Soren, who at the time served as the Coal Minister in Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's government. The case pertained to the abduction and murder of his private secretary, Shashi Nath Jha, back in 1994.
However, the tide turned in August 2007 when the Delhi High Court acquitted Shibu Soren, admonishing the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for its failure to provide substantial evidence against the senior politician. The High Court's verdict absolving Soren of the murder charges was subsequently upheld by the Supreme Court in April 2018.
The case, which originated from the disappearance of Shashi Nath Jha in May 1994, concluded with his body being discovered in Ranchi. This legal odyssey marked a significant chapter in Shibu Soren's life and political career.
Also Read: Supreme Court to quickly consider Arvind Kejriwal's arrest appeal
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(Inputs from agencies)
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