Cuttack, Nov 14: The Orissa High Court on Monday imposed a fine of Rs 10,000 on MLA Mohammed Moquim for the third time as he did not present his arguments in his defense in a case challenging his election from Barabati-Cuttack constituency in 2019.
The court had first imposed a fine of Rs 10,000 on him for failing to file an affidavit on August 4 - the date fixed by it. The court further imposed Rs 10,000 penalty on him for failing to present witnesses in his defence as per schedule on October 13.
BJD leader Debashish Samantaray has challenged the election of Moquim on the ground that he had suppressed material facts while filing his nomination papers.
He had not mentioned the criminal cases pending against him and had also not disclosed correct facts about his assets and liabilities, alleged Samantaray, who lost to Moquim in the election.
The election petition was filed on July 3, 2019. The court had started hearing on the petition on November 22, 2019.
