New Delhi: Noting that “something is seriously wrong and amiss with the electoral system of the largest democracy of the world where criminals” get elected repeatedly, the Allahabad High Court has rejected two bail applications filed by Samajwadi Party MLA Ramakant Yadav in two cases related to the alleged sale of illicit liquor in Azamgarh last year resulting in nine deaths.
The two cases were registered at Ahraula and Phoolpur police stations based on the complaints lodged by family members of the people who had died after consuming country-made liquor allegedly purchased from the liquor shop owned by Rangesh Yadav, who is the grandson of Ramakant Yadav’s sister.
A total of nine people had died after consuming “spurious” liquor. It was alleged that though Rangesh Yadav is a co-accused, the “real control of the shop is under the present accused-applicant”. Police have already filed chargesheets in both cases.
Ramakant Yadav, a four-time MP and five-time MLA, currently represents the Phoolpur-Pawai constituency in the state Assembly.
Noting that Yadav was repeatedly elected as a lawmaker despite his criminal background, the court said it “shows that something is seriously wrong and amiss with the electoral system of the largest democracy of the world where criminals, like the present accused-applicant, get elected time & again as a Member of Lok Sabha/ Legislative Assembly and become law-makers”.
In its order, the court said that “the accused-applicant is another Bahubali, a dreaded criminal and mafia don of Eastern Uttar Pradesh where Bahubali and Mafia culture is prevalent”.
Rejecting his bail applications, Justice Dinesh Kumar Singh said that “it appears to be true that opening mouth against such a dreaded criminal, mafia don and gangster could be to be peril of life and liberty of the witnesses and their families”.
The court in the order passed on February 28, said that “nine innocent persons had died by consuming poisonous liquor purchased from the shop allegedly under the control of Ramakant Yadav”. “The accused-applicant has a long criminal history and, no one could have any sympathy for such a dreaded criminal of heinous offences. This Court should not take a lenient view in such a heinous offence. Nine persons had died because of greed and inhuman act of the accused. The criminals like present accused-applicant have accumulated mind-boggling wealth and properties by committing offences. Liquor is profitable business and is mostly controlled by mafias,” the court said.
