Former MP and actor Jaya Prada, declared an “absconder” in connection with two cases related to election code violation, made an appearance before a Rampur Court (Uttar Pradesh) and subsequently granted conditional bail.
The actor had contested as the BJP candidate from Rampur in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls but was defeated by the Samajwadi Party’s Azam Khan. She had previously served as a Lok Sabha member from Rampur in 2004 and 2009 under the Samajwadi Party banner. However, she was later expelled by the party.
Despite repeated summonses issued by the special MP-MLA court in these cases, the former MP failed to attend. Consequently, non-bailable warrants were issued against her on seven occasions, but law enforcement authorities were unable to produce her in court.
Following the court’s declaration of her as an “absconder” on February 27, the police were instructed to arrest her and present her in court on March 6. However, on Monday, Jaya Prada, accompanied by her legal representatives, appeared before the court of MP-MLA Special Court Magistrate Shobhit Bansal.
Initially, the court remanded her into judicial custody, requiring her to stand in the dock for a period. However, considering her plea of being unwell, the court later granted her conditional bail, stipulating that she must furnish two sureties of Rs 20,000 each, as stated by senior prosecution officer Amarnath Tiwari.
Assuring the court of her commitment, Jaya Prada pledged to personally attend every hearing and pledged not to seek exemption from appearing in court.
Following the court’s directive on February 27 to arrest her, Jaya Prada had filed a petition in the Allahabad High Court seeking the quashing of the non-bailable warrant issued against her. However, her petition was dismissed by the court.
