Allahabad HC stays conviction, sentencing of former MP Uma Kant Yadav

Prayagraj, Aug 29 (PTI) The Allahabad High Court has stayed the conviction and sentencing of former MP Uma Kant Yadav by the trial court in Jaunpur in a case of murder, attempted murder, and arson.

The order was passed on a criminal appeal filed by Uma Kant Yadav.

In the appeal, the ex-MP had challenged the conviction in a 1995's case of murder and two other charges.

The order was passed by a division bench comprising Justice Siddharth and Justice Santosh Rai on Wednesday During the course of hearing, Yadav's counsel submitted that he is a political person and intends to contest the upcoming elections. He also relied upon the judgments of the apex court in the Navjot Singh Siddhu vs state of Punjab case and the 2007 Lok Prahari Vs. Election Commission of India and Others case.

He submitted that the appellant was entitled to benefit from the judgments passed in the cases of politicians whose convictions were stayed by the apex court since they wanted to contest the election.

He submitted that the appellant was a Member of Parliament from 2004 to 2009 and member of Legislative Assembly from the year 1991 to 1993, 1993 to 1996, and 1996 to 2002.

The state counsel opposed the submissions made and submitted that keeping the gravity of offence, Yadav was not entitled to any other relief, beyond bail, granted by the court on August 13, 2025.

In 2022, a sessions court in Jaunpur awarded life imprisonment to seven people, including ex-Machhlishahr MP Umakant Yadav, in a 27-year-old case related to a GRP constable's murder and an attempt to kill three others.

In February 1995, Yadav and his supporters were accused of opening fire indiscriminately at the Shahganj Government Railway Police (GRP) lockup in Jaunpur to free his driver Rajkumar Yadav.

GRP constable Ajay Singh was killed, while his colleague Lallan Singh, railway employee Nirmal, and a passenger, Bharat Lal, were seriously injured in the firing.

A criminal case was registered against the ex-MP at the Shahganj Police Station of Jaunpur district.

After trial, the court convicted the former MP Umakant Yadav and six others.

They were given life imprisonment under section 302 (murder), 10 years imprisonment under section 307 (attempt to murder) and other sections of Indian Penal Code (IPC).

The court granted him bail in August this year. Thereafter, he filed the present modification application requesting the court to stay the conviction. PTI COR RAJ VN VN