A Delhi court has refused to direct DU Vice Chancellor to ensure that records of educational qualification of Union Minister Smriti Irani, against whom a complaint was filed for allegedly giving false information in affidavits to poll panel, remains safe and are not tampered with.
Metropolitan Magistrate Harvinder Singh said no such directions could be passed but directed that copy of the plea be sent to the Vice Chancellor of Delhi University to bring the complainant’s apprehension in his knowledge and for his indulgence.
“Though no such directions could be passed by this court on the present application, but, however, considering the interest of justice copy of this application be sent to Vice Chancellor, Delhi University to bring the apprehension of applicant/ complainant in the knowledge of Vice Chancellor, Delhi University and for his indulgence,” the court said and fixed the case for May 3.
The court’s order came on a plea by complainant Ahmer Khan, a freelance writer, seeking its direction to the DU VC to ensure that all the records pertaining to the educational qualification of Irani are secured and there is no compromise or tampering with the original records.
The plea filed through advocate Rajesh Inamdar has also sought court a direction to the registry to keep the records produced by Election Commission(EC), Delhi University and CBSE in custody till disposal of the matter.
The court had earlier directed EC and DU to bring complete documents related to records of educational qualification of Irani.
It had on November 20 last year allowed the plea of the complainant seeking a direction to the officials of EC and DU to bring records of Irani’s educational qualification after he said he was unable to place them before the court.
It, however, had declined his submission seeking direction to the CBSE to bring Irani’s class 10th and 12th records.
The complainant had claimed in the court that Irani had deliberately given discrepant information about her educational qualification in affidavits filed before the poll panel and not given any clarification despite concerns being raised on the issue.
Khan had alleged that Irani had knowingly furnished misleading information about her educational qualification in affidavits filed before EC and that a candidate deliberately giving incorrect details can be punished under provisions of IPC and section 125A of Representation of the People Act(RPA).
Section 125A of RPA deals with penalty for filing false affidavit and entails a jail term of upto six months or fine or both.
The court on June 24 last year had taken cognizance of the complaint which accused Irani of furnishing false information about her academic qualifications in the affidavits filed before the EC in 2004, 2011 and 2014.
The complainant had earlier claimed in court that in her affidavit for April 2004 Lok Sabha polls, Irani had said she completed her BA in 1996 from DU (School of Correspondence), whereas in another affidavit of July 11, 2011 to contest Rajya Sabha election from Gujarat, she had said her highest educational qualification was B.Com Part I from the School of Correspondence, DU.
The complaint also alleged that in the affidavit filed for nomination of April 16, 2014 Lok Sabha polls from Amethi constituency in Uttar Pradesh, Irani said she had completed Bachelor of Commerce Part-I from School of Open Learning, DU.
