Former MP and actor Jaya Prada declared absconder by UP court

A court in Rampur in Uttar Pradesh on Tuesday, 27 February, declared former MP and actor Jaya Prada as an "absconder" in connection with two cases of election code violations and directed the police to arrest her and produce her before it on 6 March.

According to senior prosecution officer Amarnath Tiwari, two cases were registered against the former MP from Rampur at Kemari and Swar police stations, for allegedly violating the Model Code of Conduct during the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

The actor was the BJP candidate from Rampur in the 2019 polls and was defeated by Azam Khan of the Samajwadi Party. She was elected to the Lok Sabha from Rampur in 2004 and 2009 on a Samajwadi Party ticket. The SP expelled her subsequently.

In these cases, the special MP-MLA court had issued summons several times but the former MP did not appear before it.

Subsequently, non-bailable warrants were issued against her seven times, but the police could not produce her before the court.

He said that the police, in its reply filed in the court, said that Jaya Prada was evading arrest and all her known mobile numbers were switched off.

Tiwari said that on this, judge Shobhit Bansal took a tough stance and declared Jaya Prada as an absconder.

The superintendent of police of Rampur was ordered to form a team under the leadership of a circle officer and arrest Jaya Prada and produce her in the court on the next date of hearing on 6 March.