Orissa High Court Fines Barabati-Cuttack MLA Md Moquim for Non-Appearance

Cuttack: The Orissa High Court on Friday imposed a fine of Rs 10,000 on Barabati-Cuttack MLA Mohammed Moquim for non-appearance in court in a false affidavit case.

The court pointed out that the MLA didn’t appear before it during the examination of witnesses and sought more time for an appearance.

Dissatisfied with it, the High Court imposed a Rs 10,000 fine on the MLA.

As per the court directive, Moquim will have to deposit the fine amount in the Advocates’ Welfare Fund by Monday.

The high Court court also ordered him to appear in person during the next hearing of the case on August 11.

BJD leader Debashish Samantaray had filed a petition before the Orissa High Court challenging Moquim’s election to the State Assembly from the Barabati-Cuttack constituency in 2019.

Samantaray alleged that Moquim suppressed facts related to the criminal cases pending against him in the affidavits submitted while filing nomination papers.