Cong MP may be first to lose seat after SC verdict

The Special Court held Masood guilty of fraudulently nominating undeserving candidates to MBBS seats allotted to Tripura in medical colleges across the country in 1990-91 as union minister for health. Masood was Minister of State (Independent Charge) in Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in the V P Singh-led government at the centre at the time of the offence.

Special CBI judge J P S Malik held Masood guilty of nominating undeserving candidates for academic session 1990-91 to MBBS seats allocated to Tripura from the central pool. Masood has been held guilty of offences under the Prevention of Corruption Act and IPC sections 120-B (criminal conspiracy), 420 (cheating) and 468 (forgery). He has been though acquitted of the charge under section 471 IPC (using as genuine a forged document).

His conviction is the first case after the 10 July Supreme Court verdict, which struck down sub-section 4 of section 8 of Representation of the People Act. The earlier provision in the law gave lawmakers protection from disqualification till pendency of the appeal against conviction in a higher court if the appeal was made within three months of the conviction.