Masood convicted, expulsion imminent

RS MP held guilty for criminal conspiracy, cheating & forgery

Rasheed Masood, Rajya Sabha member from western Uttar Pradesh, may become the second member of Parliament (MP) to be disqualified due to criminal conviction after a Delhi court sentenced him to a four-year prison term.

Rajya Sabha sources said they were in touch with the law ministry and were studying his disqualification.

Masood was held guilty of offences under the Prevention of Corruption Act and IPC Sections 120-B (criminal conspiracy), 420 (cheating) and 468 (forgery). He, however, was acquitted of the charge under Section 471 IPC (using as genuine a forged document).

On Monday, Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Lalu Prasad was convicted in the fodder scam case and lost his MP post.

Masood was health minister in the V P Singh government and has been held guilty of fraudulently nominating undeserving candidates to MBBS seats allotted to Tripura in medical colleges across the country from the central pool, depriving candidates from the Northeast. He joined the Congress party in 2012 after quitting the Samajwadi Party (SP). At that time, he was a national executive member of the SP and an MP in the Rajya Sabha.

His move to the Congress coincided with the announcement of a pre-poll alliance between the Congress and the Rashtriya Lok Dal ahead of the Uttar Pradesh assembly elections. Masood, a Muslim leader from the Saharanpur belt, was the Congress’ minority mascot in the region. He was named a member of the Congress Working Committee (CWC) almost immediately and reelected to the Upper House.

Masood was the MP who,  in July said that with Rs 5, one could buy a hearty meal in Delhi, a comment meant to counter opposition to criticism of the Planning Commission's stand that anyone who earned Rs 28 a day was not poor.