Ahmedabad, June 30, 2014
 Modi chalisarendra

A court in Ahmedabad on Monday held that Prime Minister Narendra Modi committed an offence by not disclosing his marital status in an affidavit filed with his nomination during the 2012 Gujarat assembly polls but the judge ruled out an FIR against him on the ground of time bar prescribed for such cases.“An offence is committed under section 125(A) (3) of Representation of People (RP) Act by not disclosing facts,” additional chief judicial magistrate MM Sheikh held, adding, “as per CrPC section 468(2) (B), the complaint for the offence has to be made within one year in cases related to the violation of section 125(A) (3) of the RP Act.

A petition seeking an FIR against Modi was filed by Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Nishant Verma, who contended that Modi had “hidden important fact of his marital status in the affidavit filed before the election authorities in 2012.”

As the complaint was submitted after a year and four months of alleged offence, “cognizance of complaint cannot be taken and an FIR cannot be lodged now”, the court observed.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi disclosed his marital status and the name of his wife Jashodaben for the first time in the affidavit he submitted while filing his nomination for Vadodara Lok Sabha seat during the parliamentary polls this year.

Earlier, he used to leave the column relating to the spouse blank while contesting Assembly elections in Gujarat.

Meanwhile, Verma’s counsel KR Koshti said his client may challenge the order in the Supreme Court.

Govt extends term of commissions

The Gujarat government on Monday extended by two months the term of Justice Nanavati and Mehta commission  dealing with the post Godhra communal riots in the state. A two member inquiry commission probing the snoopgate scandal, headed by retired Gujarat high court judge Sugnyaben Bhatt, has been given three months’ extension.