Akali MLA, family members convicted for carving out illegal

A local court today sentenced the SAD MLA from Moga and his three members to one year in jail in connection with a case of carving out an illegal colony.
Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Sangeeta Saluja convicted SAD MLA Joginder Pal Jain, his wife Swaran Lata, son and daughter. The court also imposed fine of Rs 1,500 on each of them.
As the sentence was under three years, the MLA and his family members were granted bail by the court till they file an appeal against the order by July 1 in the sessions court.
The case was registered by the Punjab Urban Development Authority (PUDA) on August 26, 2007 for illegally selling plots.

Meanwhile, Jain's eldest son, another accused in the case, failed to appear before the court and was declared a proclaimed offender.
About a year ago, Jain had resigned from the Congress and joined Shiromani Akali Dal, and in February he successfully contested the by-election on a SAD ticket.