The petition said, "The trial court failed to appreciate

that the position of the appellant (Chautala) as a political figure in Haryana makes him an easy and soft target for any motivated individual to make false allegations against him". It also said, "the trial court has failed to appreciate that the circumstances on the basis of which the charge had been framed have not been proven." "There was no evidence on record that the 3,206 persons who got selected were persons of the appellant's choice," it added. Chautala claimed that there is no criminal misconduct attributable to him nor there has been any pecuniary advantage caused to him or any other person. He also contended that the trial court has failed to appreciate that the evidence on record clearly established that the CBI was obliged to take sanction for his prosecution under Section 197 of the CrPC. "Since lack of sanction goes to the root of the matter as a jurisdictional defect, the entire trial is vitiated," he contended. Regarding his 10 year jail term, Chautala said that a higher punishment has been imposed on him for the offence of conspiracy, more than the maximum punishment for substantive offences against him under the IPC and the Prevention of Corruption Act, which was "not legal and proper". He added that he had played no role in forging of the award lists. Apart from the Chautalas (father and son), the then Director of Primary Education Sanjiv Kumar, Chautala's former Officer on Special Duty Vidya Dhar, both IAS officers, political advisor to the then Haryana CM Sher Singh Badshami were given 10 years jail term. (More)