Criminal plea filed against Vasundhara Raje

Jaipur: A criminal contempt petition has been filed against Rajasthan chief minister Vasundhara Raje over her statement in the context of the controversial Criminal Laws (Rajasthan Amendment) Ordinance, 2017. The petition filed by lawyer and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Poonamchand Bhandari is likely to be heard next week.

The petitioner claimed that in an interview to a newspaper, the CM had said that complaints have been received complaints regarding misuse of Section 156(3) of the CrPC where magistrates order investigations. On scrutiny, it has been found that about 73% of such cases investigated proved to be false.

According to Bhandari, subordinate courts at the district level cater to the needs of the masses in administering justice at the base level and it was in the interest of justice that the authority of the subordinate courts must be protected.

The petitioner said an application was sent to advocate general for filing contempt petition against the chief minister or give permission to the petitioners. But, nothing happened. Therefore, the petitioner as filed this criminal contempt petition.

The Criminal Laws (Rajasthan Amendment) Ordinance, 2017, published in the official gazette on September 7 last year, made it mandatory for a judicial magistrate to seek government sanction before ordering an investigation against a judge, magistrate or government servant —serving and retired – related to their actions while performing official duties.