IMPHAL, February 17: In a sensational revelation, an election agent of 27-Moirang Assembly Constituency MLA Mairembam Prithviraj Singh who is also the parliamentary secretary (Youth Affairs & Sports, Tourism) has confessed that the MLA is not an MBA degree holder which the latter had claimed in his election affidavit.
Philem Shamu Singh, an election agent of the MLA, made his confession before the High Court of Manipur today in connection with the false’ educational qualification case.
Prithviraj who was elected from the constituency on an INC ticket in the 10th Manipur Legislative Assembly election held in 2012 is facing a court case in the High Court of Manipur on charges of falsely filing his educational qualification in the election affidavit.
MLA Prithviraj, who has already deposed before a bench of Justice N Koteshwar on February 8 and 16, deposed again today in continuation of the hearing of the Election Petition Case No 1 of 2012.
During today’s case hearing, the election agent was cross-examined by counsel of the petitioner.
Notably, Shamu was produced as a witness in the court from the side of the parliamentary secretary, a respondent of the case.
During the proceeding of his cross-examination, the election agent was asked by the petitioner’s counsel whether MLA Prithviraj has passed the MBA course as was claimed in his election affidavit submitted to the concerned Returning Officer (RO).
Shamu replied that the Parliamentary Secretary has not passed the course as claimed so in the election affidavit.
Mention may be made that the petition admitted under Election Petition Case No 1 of 2012 was filed in the court by Pukhrem Sharatchandra on April 4, 2012.
He had faced MLA Prithviraj in the election in Moirang Assembly Constituency.
As the case was kept pending for long, the petitioner filed a Special Leave Petition in the Supreme Court under Civil Appeal No 8063 of 2015