Raj Babbar gets two-year jail for assaulting polling officer in 1996

An MP/MLA court in Lucknow has awarded a two-year jail sentence to former MP Raj Babbar in a case related to 1996. The court has also imposed a fine of Rs 8,500 on the actor turned politician.

Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh): A court here awarded two-year imprisonment to Bollywood actor and Congress leader Raj Babbar for assaulting a polling officer. Later, he was granted bail to provide him an opportunity for filing an appeal against the verdict.

Babbar was convicted for voluntarily causing hurt to deter a public servant from performing his duty and three other offences. The court also imposed a fine of Rs 6,500 on him. The court sentenced separately for the offences under Sections 143, 323, 332 and 353 of the IPC. The court said all sentences will run concurrently. It clarified that if Babbar did not deposit the fine, he would have to undergo 15 days more imprisonment.

The FIR against Babbar was lodged during an election in May 1996. At that time, Babbar was contesting from the Samajwadi Party as a Lok Sabha candidate for the Lucknow seat. It was stated in the FIR that Babbar barged into a polling centre with his supporters, alleging rigging and assaulting a polling officer.

Police filed a charge sheet against him on September 23, 1996. The court took cognizance of the offences and summoned Babbar on March 7, 2020 and framed charges against him.

(With agency inputs)