Gujarat HC refuses to stay AAP legislator Chaitar Vasava’s 7-year sentence
The Dediapada MLA, his wife, personal assistant and six others were sentenced to seven years’ rigorous imprisonment on June 23 in connection with a 2023 case
The Gujarat High Court has denied bail and the reduction of Aam Aadmi Party legislator Chaitar Vasava's seven-year jail term for his conviction on charges of extortion and assault against forest officials. Vasava, along with his wife, personal assistant, and six others, were sentenced to seven years of rigorous imprisonment on June 23, 2024, for a 2023 case involving assault on forest officials and extortion.
Despite being a sitting MLA, Vasava's conduct, as indicated by the court, was deemed "not befitting a law-making institution." The court pointed out 22 serious offences registered against Vasava, including the current case, and emphasized that holding a high public office does not exempt one from legal consequences. Vasava's assault on the officials occurred after they cleared crops on government forest land, forcing the officials to arrange a payment of ₹60,000.
The court's order, which is 70 pages long, stressed that no public office confers immunity from the law and that suspension of sentence and bail in such circumstances could be viewed as condoning criminal behavior by those in power.
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