JBT scam: SC upholds 10 years jail to OP Chautala

NEW DELHI: In a major set back to former Haryana chief minister Om Prakash Chautala and his son Ajay Singh Chautala, the Supreme court on Monday upheld their conviction and ten year jail term in teachers' recruitment scam case.
The apex court dismissed the plea of Chautalas who had approached the court against Delhi high court and trial court orders sending them to jail.
READ ALSO: Om Prakash Chautala gets parole for a month
The Delhi high court had on March 5 upheld the 10-year jail term awarded to OP Chautala, his son Ajay Chautala and three others, saying, "The overwhelming evidence showed the shocking and spine-chilling state of affairs in the country." Chautalas and 53 others, including two IAS officers, were convicted on January 16, 2013 by the trial court for illegally recruiting 3,206 junior basic trained (JBT) teachers in Haryana in 2000.
Besides Chautalas and whistleblower IAS officer Sanjiv Kumar, the then director of primary education, the high court had also awarded 10-year prison term to IAS officer Vidya Dhar, then officer on Special Duty (OSD) to the chief minister, and Sher Singh Badshami, then MLA and political adviser to Chautala senior.
READ ALSO: Delhi HC judge quoted Kautilaya while upholding sentence of Chautala, son in JBT scam
Will take oath as Haryana CM from Tihar, Om Prakash Chautala says
All the 55 convicts have been sentenced under sections 120B (criminal conspiracy), 418(cheating), 467 (forgery), 471 (using forged documents as genuine) of IPC and provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act. The high court had modified the trial court's order on the quantum of sentence and awarded two-year jail term to 50 other convicts.
Initially, there were 62 accused in the case. While two died before filing of the charge sheet, four died during the trial of the case and one was discharged.