Medical admission scam: Rasheed Masood sentenced to four years in jail(Update/Rasheed Masood)

Congress Rajya Sabha Member of Parliament (MP) Rasheed Masood was sentenced to serve four years in prison in connection with his role in a medical admission scam.

Pronouncing the verdict, a Delhi Court said on Tuesday that Massod will be sent to the Tihar Jail.

Masood is the first Member of Parliament of any party to convicted and sentenced to jail, and the first to lose his seat in the Rajya Sabha. He will also not be allowed to contest elections for the next six years.

During the hearing, lawyers representing 66-year-old Masood pleaded with the court to be more lenient with their client, as he was suffering from a number of ailments.

Masood is now expected to be disqualified under the provisions of Representation of the People Act that removes anybody who has been convicted under sections of various laws, including the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988.

A Special CBI court had held Masood guilty in a case of corruption and other offences.

As Minister of Health in the V P Singh Government between 1990 and 1991, Masood was held guilty of fraudulently nominating undeserving candidates to MBBS seats allotted to Tripura in medical colleges across the country from the central pool.