Raipur: Aman Sao, a 26-year-old gangster from Jharkhand, currently lodged in a Raipur jail, has announced plans to contest the upcoming Jharkhand Assembly elections. Sao, who faces charges in nearly 160 criminal cases, aims to run as an independent candidate from the Barkagaon Assembly constituency, where polls are scheduled for November 13. His lawyer, Hemant Shikarwar, confirmed Sao’s intentions during a court appearance in Raipur, indicating that the gangster would file a writ petition in the Bilaspur High Court to seek permission for traveling to Jharkhand to file his nomination papers.
Sao hails from Matbe village in Ranchi and is notorious for his involvement in extortion and violence targeting those associated with the region’s mining industry, according to police records. The gangster has already been convicted in two cases in Jharkhand, for which he has been sentenced to three and six years of imprisonment, respectively. Despite these convictions, his lawyer is pursuing legal avenues to allow Sao’s candidacy. “We will have to seek permission from courts in both Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh to facilitate his nomination,” Shikarwar said.
Currently, Sao is being held on judicial remand until October 28 after being produced before a Raipur court in connection with a case registered at the Ganj police station, one of the two cases against him in Chhattisgarh. His lawyer also mentioned that they plan to file petitions in Jharkhand’s High Court and a Latehar court seeking suspension of Sao’s convictions, drawing upon a past Supreme Court ruling that allowed ex-cricketer Navjot Singh Sidhu to contest elections despite a conviction.
However, Sao’s legal team faces significant hurdles due to the Representation of the People Act, 1951, which disqualifies individuals sentenced to more than two years in prison from contesting elections. Shikarwar hopes to overcome these legal obstacles by arguing for the suspension of Sao’s convictions. Additionally, they intend to seek permission from the Chhattisgarh High Court to allow Sao to travel to Jharkhand for the nomination process, even if under heavy security.
Sao’s case has sparked controversy, with many questioning how someone with such an extensive criminal background can be considered for public office. Nonetheless, his lawyers remain determined to ensure that his nomination is filed before the deadline of October 25 for the second phase of the elections.
The situation has raised broader concerns about the intersection of crime and politics in India, particularly in states like Jharkhand, where the influence of criminal elements is often felt in the electoral process.
