Following the conviction, Raju faces immediate disqualification as an MLA and a six-year ban from contesting elections post-prison term. However, the court has granted him a one-month bail period to move an appeal, providing temporary relief from arrest. The first accused in the case, a former court clerk named Jose, was also handed a three-year sentence along with a fine. The charges against the duo included criminal conspiracy, forgery, and furnishing false evidence under various sections of the IPC.
The case traces back to 1990, when Raju, then a junior advocate, was representing an Australian national, Andrew Salvatore. Raju was accused of altering the size of an underwear that had been seized as material evidence to help the accused secure an acquittal. The verdict arrives nearly 19 years after the chargesheet was originally filed. (TNIE)
For more details: Navamalayalam.com