No relief for MP Navneet Rana in `bogus’ caste certificate case

Mumbai: A court here on Wednesday rejected independent MP Navneet Rana’s review application against the denial of discharge in a case where she is accused of fraudulently obtaining her caste certificate.

Rana is currently the MP from Amravati in eastern Maharashtra, a seat reserved for Scheduled Castes.

She had filed a review application before the special court for cases against MPs and MLAs against the Mulund magistrate’s court.

The magistrate, in an order passed in August, had refused to discharge Rana from the case holding that there was ”prima facie evidence” against her including documentary evidence of alleged cheating and forgery.

Advocate Rizwan Merchant, appearing for Rana, argued before the special court that the charge-sheet filed by the police did not contain any material against her. Additional Public Prosecutor S S Panjwani said the magistrate was ”wholly justified” in passing the order as there was evidence against Rana.

After hearing both the sides, special judge R N Rokade rejected the review plea, saying that a prima facie case was made out against her.

As per the complaint lodged at Mulund police station in Mumbai, Rana and her father allegedly forged documents to obtain SC certificates so that she could contest from Amravati.

The Bombay High Court in 2021 cancelled Rana’s caste certificate stating that it had been obtained fraudulently using fabricated documents. The father-daughter duo have challenged the high court’s order in the Supreme Court.