AAP MLA's fake degree row: Court records official's statement

A Delhi court today recorded the statement of an Election Commission official in a complaint seeking criminal prosecution of AAP legislator Bhavna Gaur for allegedly furnishing false details about her educational qualification in the affidavits for the Assembly polls.
During the recording of pre-summoning evidence, the EC official placed on record the certified copy of affidavit filed by Gaur, AAP candidate from Palam constituency, during the Assembly polls held this year.
Metropolitan Magistrate Pankaj Sharma has now asked the official to bring certified copy of affidavit filed by Gaur in the 2013 Assembly elections.
Complainant Samarendra Nath Verma has alleged in his plea that there were discrepancies in the details regarding her educational qualification in her affidavits filed in the last two Assembly polls held here in December 2013 and February 2015 respectively.

The court will now hear the matter on September 10.
The complaint has been filed under provision of 125 A of Representation of People Act (furnishing false information/ concealing information about qualifications).

The offence under Section 125 A of the Act entails a jail term of up to six months or fine or both.
As per the complaint, during the 2013 polls, Gaur had mentioned her highest qualification as 12th while during the elections held in 2015, she mentioned her highest educational qualification as BA and B.Ed in her affidavit filed along with her nomination paper.
"The complainant failed to understand, how just within a span of 14 months (period between filing of her first affidavit in 2013 and 2015), she obtained additional qualifications of BA and B.Ed., whereas normal time required for finishing the aforesaid courses taken together would be five years (three years for BA and two years for B.Ed.)," the complaint said.

"The accused (Gaur) must have filed false affidavit related to her qualifications either on November 12, 2013, or on January 15, 2015, before the Returning officer in that only one version on oath on her qualifications can be correct," it said.