Ex MP and actress Jaya Prada appeared before a special court on Wednesday regarding two cases concerning alleged violations of the Model Code of Conduct during the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. The court has scheduled the next hearing for March 22.
Despite several summonses and seven non-bailable warrants, 61-year-old Jaya Prada appeared before the court, having been declared an “absconder” by the court on February 27. The court had instructed the police to arrest and present her on March 6. However, she arrived on March 4 and presented herself before MP-MLA Special Magistrate Shobhit Bansal along with her legal representatives, securing conditional bail.
During the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, Jaya Prada, the BJP candidate from Rampur, contested against Samajwadi Party’s Azam Khan but lost. The cases against her were filed at Kemri and Swar police stations for allegedly inaugurating developmental projects during the Model Code of Conduct period.
Previously elected as a Lok Sabha member from Rampur in 2004 and 2009 under the Samajwadi Party, Jaya Prada was later expelled from the party.
Prosecution Officer Neeraj Kumar confirmed Jaya Prada’s appearance in court and stated that the next hearing is set for March 22. Despite multiple summons and warrants issued in the past, she had not appeared before the court until now.
Jaya Prada assured the court that she would attend every hearing in person without seeking any exemptions. Following the court’s declaration of her as an “absconder” and the subsequent arrest order, she had petitioned the Allahabad High Court to quash the non-bailable warrant, which was dismissed by the court.
