Siwan (Bihar) [India], November 6 (ANI): Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad Yadav appeared before the Siwan district court in connection with a 15-year-old Model Code of Conduct (MCC) alleged violation case relating to the 2011 Daraunda assembly by-election.
Lalu appeared before the court of Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate (ACJM-I) Arvind Kumar Singh in connection with a case registered at Daraunda police station.
Former Bihar Assembly Speaker and senior RJD leader Awadh Bihari Choudhary stated that RJD supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav has the utmost respect for the judiciary and has arrived personally.
"In accordance with the order of the honourable court, our leader Lalu Prasad Yadav is appearing in the case related to the Model Code of Conduct during the Daraunda by-election, under which a violation case was registered against him. The court had directed that he must appear, and it is for that purpose he has arrived. He has always held deep faith in the judiciary, as all of us should. Whatever the honourable order of the court says, we all abide by it. He holds the highest regard, respect, and welcome for the judiciary's directives, and that is why respected Lalu Prasad ji has come to appear before the court today," he said.
The case traces back to October 2011 during the campaign for the Daraunda assembly constituency by-election in Siwan district. The by-poll was necessitated following the death of sitting Janata Dal (United) MLA Jagmato Devi.
It is alleged that Lalu Prasad Yadav had visited Daraunda to campaign for RJD candidate Parmeshwar Singh. The allegations pertain to the RJD supremo allegedly arriving late at the rally venue and continuing to address a gathering in violation of prohibitory orders under Section 144 and the Loudspeaker Act.
District election authorities alleged that a public address system (microphone and loudspeakers) was used without the requisite administrative permissions. The situation escalated when election magistrates and local police intervened on the stage, cutting the sound and seizing the microphone from the podium to halt the address, triggering commotion among party supporters.
An FIR was subsequently registered against both the RJD chief and candidate Parmeshwar Singh under relevant provisions of the Indian Penal Code and the Representation of the People Act for defying the Model Code of Conduct. Co-accused Parmeshwar Singh passed away during the course of the long-running trial.
The court framed charges against Lalu Prasad Yadav and directed him to appear for further proceedings. He was allowed to leave after appearing before the court. (ANI)
Lalu Prasad Yadav appears before Siwan Court in 2011 Model Code violation case
