Cuttack: Ahead of General Elections 2024, veteran Congress leader Mohammad Moquim received a jolt as the Orissa High Court on Wednesday upheld the lower court’s verdict which had earlier awarded a three-year jail term to the leader in connection with the alleged Odisha Rural Housing & Development Corporation (ORHDC) loan scam case.
Notably, a special vigilance court in September 2022 had sentenced three years jail term to the Barabati-Cuttack MLA. However, the Congress leader soon got interim bail from Orissa High Court on a bail bond of Rs 1 lakh with two sureties. Moquim was embroiled in the alleged scam while working as the Managing Director of Metro Builders Private Limited.
Moquim had been accused of obtaining financial advantage in favour of the company in the guise of loans meant for the rural poor from ORHDC. Challenging the conviction verdict by the Vigilance Court, Moquim had moved the High Court.
Pronouncing its judgement, the Orissa High Court on Wednesday rejected his appeal and upheld the conviction passed by the lower court.
Senior advocate Manas Kumar Chand said, “As the Orissa High Court upheld the conviction passed by the lower court, there will be no change in the jail term sentenced to the senior Congress leader. Moquim may move the Apex Court. If the Supreme Court suspends his conviction, Moquim’s path will be cleared to contest polls. If the Supreme Court will uphold the earlier verdict, he will not contest the upcoming polls.”
