Delhi Court Convicts Man for Forging UP Chief Minister's Letter to Prime Minister Modi
In a significant legal ruling, a Delhi court has convicted a man for creating a forged official letter that was purportedly issued by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The fraudulent document was used in an attempt to secure a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ticket for the accused during the 2019 Uttar Pradesh Assembly by-elections.
Court Delivers Detailed Judgment on Forgery Case
The court of Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Jyoti Maheshwari at Rouse Avenue Court delivered a detailed judgment on March 30, finding accused Shivaji Yadav guilty of offences under Sections 465 and 471 of the Indian Penal Code. These sections pertain to forgery and using a forged document as genuine, respectively. The judgment was based on evidence presented by the prosecution, as reported by news agency ANI.
The case revolved around a letter dated June 10, 2019, which was allegedly written by the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister to the Prime Minister. This letter recommended that Shivaji Yadav be given a BJP ticket from the Lucknow Cantt assembly constituency. Subsequent investigations revealed that the letter was completely forged and had been sent to the Prime Minister's Office (PMO).
Investigation Uncovers Fabrication and Handwriting Evidence
The court noted that while a genuine letter with the same dispatch number had been issued from the Chief Minister's Office to the Ministry of External Affairs, the document sent to the PMO was fabricated to appear official. Key portions of the forged letter, including the date, dispatch number, and envelope details, were found to be in the handwriting of the accused, Shivaji Yadav.
Forensic analysis and witness testimonies further confirmed that the document did not originate from the Chief Minister's Office and lacked authentic signatures of Yogi Adityanath. Additionally, the mobile numbers mentioned in the forged letter and envelope were traced back to the accused, strengthening the case against him.
Location Data and Court Rejection of Defence Claims
Location data placed Shivaji Yadav in Badlapur, Jaunpur, at the precise time the letter was dispatched via speed post to the PMO. Despite this evidence, the accused denied all charges, claiming false implication and arguing that the Chief Minister was not examined as a witness in the case.
However, the court firmly rejected these claims. It observed that the offence of forgery does not require proof of signature alone; fabrication of any part of a document with intent to deceive is sufficient for conviction. The court found that the prosecution had established a complete chain of circumstances, including:
- Creation of the forged document by the accused
- Dispatch of the letter by the accused to the PMO
- Receipt of the forged document at the Prime Minister's Office
This chain left no reasonable doubt about the guilt of Shivaji Yadav.
Court's Conclusion on Political Ambition and Public Trust
The court concluded that the accused had knowingly used the forged letter as genuine to further his political ambition of securing a party ticket. It emphasized that misuse of the names of constitutional authorities in forged documents undermines public trust and cannot be treated lightly.
Holding the evidence sufficient, the court convicted Shivaji Yadav under Sections 465 and 471 of the Indian Penal Code. This ruling serves as a stern warning against such fraudulent activities that attempt to manipulate political processes and deceive high offices of the government.
