HC Slaps Rs 10K Penalty On Odisha MLA Md Moquim For Non-Appearance In False Affidavit Case

Cuttack: The Orissa High Court on Friday imposed a fine on Barabati-Cuttack MLA Mohammed Moquim again for non-appearance before it in a false affidavit case.

As the legislator sought more time to appear for testimony in the false affidavit case, the HC voiced its displeasure and slapped him with a fine of Rs 10,000 for wasting the court’s time.

According to sources, Moquim was to depose before the court for examination in the false affidavit case. However, his counsel filed a petition seeking more time for an appearance in court.

Expressing dissatisfaction over it, the court imposed a Rs 10,000 fine on the legislator while allowing him to appear on October 17.

The fine amount will be deposited at the bar association’s welfare fund.

Earlier, the lawmaker had also been fined for not appearing in court in the false affidavit case. On August 4, the High Court imposed a fine of Rs 10,000 on Moquim, who had sought time for cross-examination of witnesses in the case.

BJD leader Debashish Samantaray had filed a petition on July 3, 2019, challenging the election of Moquim on the ground that he had suppressed material facts with respect to the criminal cases pending against him while filing his nomination papers. He further stated that the first-time MLA had also not disclosed correct facts about his assets and liabilities.

In June 2022, Justice S K Sahoo had framed 36 issues for consideration in the election case while dismissing Moquim’s plea, seeking rejection of the petition at the very threshold in its entirety for want of cause of action without entering into the merits of the case.