BJP's Bangaru Laxman was caught on camera accepting money in a 2001 sting operation conducted by news portal Tehelka.com.
In a major embarrassment for the BJP, a Delhi court, on Friday, convicted former BJP president Bangaru Laxman, who was earlier caught red-handed on camera for taking a bribe of Rs. 1 lakh from fake arms dealers.
After 11 years, in its order, the court said that criminal proceedings against him can be started as he is found guilty of taking money.
Delivering the verdict, Justice Kanwaljit Arora charged Bangaru Laxman under Section 7 & 9 of the Prevention Of Corruption Act, Criminal Conspiracy 120B. However, the court reserved its order till Saturday. Police have taken the former BJP president into their custody.
Congress leader Manish Tiwari said, "It is a lesson for the BJP."
Earlier, Additional Sessions Judge Kanwal Jeet Arora had, on 3 April, reserved the judgment in the corruption case, after hearing arguments from the counsel for the CBI and the accused.
Bangaru was caught on camera accepting money in a 2001 sting operation conducted by news portal Tehelka.com.
The video CDs, which were released by the portal on 13 March 2001, had sparked a political storm, following which Bangaru resigned as BJP chief.
The scribes had posed as representatives of a fictitious UK-based company called West End International, and were seeking his recommendation to the ministry for the supply of hand-held thermal imagers for the Indian Army.
As per the CBI's charge-sheet, Tehelka scribes had held 8 meetings with Bangaru between 23 December 2000, and 7 January 2001, projecting themselves as suppliers of defence-related products.
The CBI had alleged that Bangaru had accepted Rs. 1 lakh from the representatives of the purported firm on 1 January 2001, in his office, for pursuing their proposal to supply certain products to the Army.
Bangaru has been facing trial under various provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act for allegedly accepting money from fake arms dealers to recommend to the Defence Ministry to award them a contract.
Bangaru's former personal secretary T Satyamurthy, who was a co-accused, was granted pardon by a trial court after he turned an approver in the case. (INN)