Mumbai: A court here on Monday imposed a fine of Rs 1,000 each against Lok Sabha Member of Parliament (MP) Navneet Rana and her father for seeking adjournment in the hearing of a fake caste certificate case against them. The court also issued a proclamation order against the Amravati MP's father for not appearing before the court, despite being summoned multiple times.
Rana and her father are accused of allegedly forging documents to obtain a caste certificate, as the Amravati seat is reserved for Scheduled Caste candidates. While the matter was listed for hearing before the additional chief metropolitan magistrate P I Mokashi on Monday, a junior of Rana's lawyer sought an adjournment, citing that his senior was engaged in a matter at Hyderabad court.
The court then reprimanded the lawyer and imposed a fine of Rs 1,000 each on the accused. The magistrate also issued a proclamation against Rana's father, who has never appeared before the court, despite a non-bailable warrant issued against him. As per the provisions of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC), a proclamation order is issued if any court has reason to believe (whether after taking evidence or not) that any person against whom a warrant has been issued by it has absconded or is concealing himself so that such warrant cannot be executed.
The court may publish a written proclamation requiring him to appear at a specified place and at a specified time not less than 30 days from the date of publishing such proclamation. As per the complaint lodged at Mulund police station in Mumbai, Rana and her father had allegedly forged documents to obtain a caste certificate, as the Amravati seat is reserved for Scheduled Caste candidates.
The Bombay High Court in 2021 cancelled the caste certificate issued to Rana, after observing that it was obtained fraudulently using fabricated documents. The father-daughter duo challenged the high court's order in the apex court. (PTI)
