The Allahabad High Court has granted a stay on the criminal proceedings initiated by a Gautam Buddha Nagar court against Rashtriya Lok Dal chief and Rajya Sabha MP Jayant Chaudhary. The case involved allegations of violating the model code of conduct and COVID norms during the Uttar Pradesh assembly elections in 2022.
The FIR was filed in Dadri police station, Greater Noida, and accused Chaudhary, along with former UP Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav and others, under various sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Epidemic Diseases Act. Chaudhary’s counsel argued that his role was limited, and he was accompanying Akhilesh Yadav, whose criminal proceedings had already been stayed by the court.
The court has directed the state government’s counsel to respond within four weeks, scheduling the next hearing after six weeks.