TRS MP Kavitha Maloth convicted of bribing voters during 2019 Lok Sabha elections

Kavitha Maloth, Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) Lok Sabha MP from Mahabubabad, has been convicted by a local court on Saturday for bribing voters during the 2019 general elections. The special court for MP and MLA cases in Hyderabad also slapped a Rs 10,000 fine and six months imprisonment. This is the first time that a sitting MP has been convicted of bribing electors ahead of Lok Sabha polls. 

Kavitha Maloth and her associate were granted bail and the duo will now file an appeal before the High Court. The case was registered in Bhadradri-Kothagudem district after a flying team squad, during the 2019 polls, caught Maloth's aide Shaukat Ali distributing money and seeking votes in TRS MP's favour, Police told PTI.

Shaukat Ali was caught red-handed and he was named the first accused while Kavitha Maloth was the second accused in the case pertaining to the cash-for-votes case. During the trial, Police produced election officials and their reports as evidence.

Kavitha and Ali were convicted under Section 171-E of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). The two were present in the Special court when Judge Ch VRR Varaprasad pronounced his verdict. Kavitha represents the Mahabubabad constituency in the lower house of Parliament.

TRS MLA Danam Nagender and BJP's Raja Singh were also convicted by special court

This is not the first time when a Member of Parliament has been sentenced by the special sessions court. Earlier this month, Khairatabad TRS MLA Danam Nagender and his associate Raju were sentenced to six months imprisonment and a Rs 1 lakh fine each in a 2013 assault case.

Earlier this year, BJP MLA Raja Singh was also convicted by a special sessions court for assaulting policemen in 2015. He was sentenced to one-year rigorous imprisonment.

The case dates back to December 2015, when Osmania University JAC had organised a 'beef festival' against Raja Singh's wishes. When protests erupted, the BJP Goshamal legislator was taken into preventive custody by police.

Later, a few BJP supports came to meet him. When a sup-inspector prevented the MLA from meet party works, Singh then allegedly assaulted and threatened the SI.