HC imposes fine on Odisha Cong MLA Md Moquim for wasting court’s time

Cuttack: Orissa High Court today imposed a fine on Barabati-Cuttack MLA Mohammed Moquim again in a false affidavit case.

As the Congress legislator sought more time to appear for testimony in the false affidavit case, the High Court slapped him with a fine of Rs 10,000 for wasting the court’s valuable time.

According to reports, Moquim was to depose before the court today for his testimony 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 for wasting the court’s time while allowing him to appear on October 17.

The fine amount will be deposited at the welfare fund of the High Court.

Earlier, the legislator 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.

Notably, an election petition was filed by BJD leader Debashish Samantaray challenging Moquim’s election to the State Assembly from Barabati-Cuttack constituency in 2019.

Samantaray alleged that the MLA had suppressed facts with respect to the criminal cases pending against him while filing nomination papers for the 2019 Assembly elections.