Former Indian prime minister receives three-year sentence

Published: 13 October 2000 y., Friday
A court today sentenced former Indian Prime Minister Narasimha Rao and a former Cabinet minister to three years in prison for bribery and corruption. Rao, 79, and former Home Minister Buta Singh also were fined $2,150 for bribing legislators in 1993 to back Rao in a crucial confidence vote. Rao's government survived that vote. "I hereby sentence the accused P.V. Narisimha Rao and Buta Singh to rigorous imprisonment up to three years and a fine of 100,000 rupees ($2,150)," special court judge Ajit Barihoke said. Rao and Singh also received bail until November 8, to allow them time to appeal the convictions and sentences. Defense lawyers said they would file appeals. Rao and Singh had faced maximum sentences of seven years in jail. The two were convicted on September 29 of criminal conspiracy, bribery and corruption. Nine other defendants had been acquitted. Rao, who held office from 1991-96, is the first Indian prime minister to be convicted in a criminal case. Rao became prime minister in elections after Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated in 1991. Rao was credited with launching India's free-market reforms. In 1996, Rao led the Congress Party to its worst election defeat in 111 years. He resigned after that loss.
Šaltinis: europe.cnn.com
Copying, publishing, announcing any information from the News.lt portal without written permission of News.lt editorial office is prohibited.

Facebook Comments

New comment


Captcha

Associated articles

The most popular articles

Indian wives and daughters rally

At the national war memorial in New Delhi, India's war widows and daughters remember their fallen. more »

New skills = better jobs

By 2020, three out of four people employed in the EU will be working in services like insurance, healthcare, retail and education, according to a new report on the future of the European job market. more »

Berlin zoo thrilled with baby hippo

Berlin Zoo's very pleased about the new arrival, as she's the first hippo to be born in Berlin in three years. more »

Europe's workers tell us what they think of working hours

MEPs and EU ministers are trying to reach an agreement on how many hours we should work and whether countries should continue to be allowed to opt out of these rules. more »

MEPs to debate clearer export licences for arms

Tanks, guns, socks: the buying of military equipment like this from abroad is complicated due to export rules all being different. more »

New Taj Mahal opens in Bangladesh

The life-size replica of the real monument of love has just opened to the public. more »

Dispatch from Poznań climate change talks

A series of ice statues symbolizing the dangers of global warming welcomed delegates to the climate change conference taking place in Poznań this week. more »

Diamond sells for record price

The diamond is 35.56 carats and dates back to the 17th century. more »

Muslim pilgrims stone the devil

Around two million muslims performed the pilgrimage on their haj, which in the past has been tarred by hotel collapses and stampedes. more »

China's first "private" dining

Yuebin or Happy Guest restaurant became Communist China's first private restaurant. more »