Bhubaneswar: The Orissa High Court on Wednesday ordered a stay on the conviction of Congress MLA Mohammed Moquim as ordered by a vigilance court in a case related to Odisha Rural Housing Development Corporation (ORHDC).
In its 15-page verdict, the State’s apex court treated the case as a rare and exceptional case and observed that the conviction has serious consequences upon the membership of the sitting MLA.
The Court has fixed February 22, 2023 as the date of the hearing of the primary petition in the case.
On October 10, the Orissa High Court had accepted Moquim’s petition challenging the jail term awarded to him by the vigilance court and granted him bail.
Subsequently, on October 13, Justice BP Routray had reserved the verdict in the case after hearing the arguments of both parties in the case.
The court of Special Judge (Vigilance) had sentenced former IAS officer Vinod Kumar, Cuttack Barabati MLA Md Moquim and realtor Peeyush Mohanty to three years jail in connection with a case related to loans to ineligible beneficiaries.
