BJP MLA Meenasurrenders in20-yr-old case

Jaipur/Kota: Convicted BJP MLA Kanwarlal Meena from Anta constituency in Baran district surrendered before the additional chief judicial magistrate court in Manohar Thana in Jhalawar on Wednesday, following a Supreme Court order in a two-decade-old criminal case.

After the medical examination, the BJP MLA was transferred to Aklera sub-jail in Jhalawar to serve his three-year sentence.

Rajasthan assembly Speaker Vasudev Devnani, however, is yet to disqualify Meena from the house membership, in keeping with the law, despite repeated petitions by the opposition Congress.

The case dates back to Feb 3, 2005, when Meena allegedly threatened the then sub-divisional officer, Ramniwas Mehta (currently, RPSC secretary), by pointing a gun at him during a deputy sarpanch bypoll in Aklera, Jhalawar.

On May 7, the Supreme Court had directed Meena to surrender by May 21 after dismissing his special leave petition (SLP). This followed the Rajasthan High Court's May 1 decision upholding his conviction by a trial court in 2020. When the apex court denied relief, the trial court issued an arrest warrant against the BJP legislator on May 9.

Before surrendering, Meena, accompanied by supporters, visited the Kamkheda Balaji Temple for prayers. He then reached the court at 11.30am and expressed his faith in the judiciary, saying, "I have full faith in the judiciary and in compliance with the order by the honourable court, I am surrendering."

His counsel Rajesh Verma told TOI that they would approach the Supreme Court seeking relief in the matter. BJP supporters had gathered at the court premises during the surrender proceedings.

Meena, a known supporter of former chief minister Vasundhara Raje, won his second term as MLA in Dec 2023, defeating former mining minister Pramod Jain Bhaya. He had previously served as MLA from Manohar Thana in Jhalawar in 2013 but did not contest the 2018 assembly elections.