Moga, Punjab (June 02, 2014): A Moga court sentenced businessman turned politician and Badal Dal MLA from Moga constituency Joginder Pal Jain and his three members to one year in jail in a case of developing an illegal colony in Moga. Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Sangeeta Saluja convicted Jain, his wife Swaran Lata, son and daughter.

The court also imposed fine of Rs 1,500 on each of them. As the sentence was under three years, the MLA and his family members were granted bail by the court till they file an appeal against the order by July 1 in the session’s court.

The Punjab Urban Development Authority (PUDA) on August 26, 2007 filed a complaint with the city police for illegally selling plots after developing illegal colony at Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar in Moga city.

Meanwhile, Jain’s eldest son, another accused in the case, failed to appear before the court and was declared a proclaimed offender.

Taking a turn, Jain had resigned from Punjab assembly as well as the Congress and joined Shiromani Akali Dal Badal, and in February, 2014 he successfully contested the by-election on a SAD (Badal) ticket.