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Chronology of the JMM MPs' bribery case

January 1, 1996: Rashtriya Mukti Morcha president Ravinder Kumar approaches the Central Bureau of Investigation, seeking booking of a case for alleged bribing of Opposition parliamentarians to vote against a July 28, 1993 no-confidence motion against then P V Narasimha Rao Government.
March 25, 1996: CBI registers four first information reports against JMM MPs Suraj Mandal, Shibu Soren, Simon Marandi and Shailendra Mahato.
May 24, 1996: Delhi high court orders CBI to register fresh a FIR on the basis of an RMM complaint which had named Rao.
September 4, 1996: CBI questions Narasimha Rao.
Sept 5, 1996: Soren, Marandi, Mandal arrested in Delhi.
Sept 6, 1996: Mahato arrested in Jamshedpur.
October 30, 1996: CBI files first charge-sheet, naming Rao, Buta Singh, Satish Sharma, Soren, Mandal, Marandi and Mahato as accused.
November 8, 1996: Rao gets anticipatory bail from Delhi high court.
December 9, 1996: CBI files second charge-sheet naming V Rajeshwar Rao, H M Revenna, Ramalinga Reddy, M Veerappa Moily, D K Adikeshavalu and M Thimme Gowda as accused.
January 4, 1997: Marandi, Mandal, Soren and Mahato released on bail after being in jail for four months.
Jan 22, 1997: CBI files third charge-sheet naming eight as accused: Ajit Singh, R L Yadav, Bhajan Lal, Ram Saran Yadav, Abhay Pratap Singh, Haji Ghulam Mohammed, Roshan Lal and Anadi Charan Das.
March 17, 1997: Mahato seeks to become approver.
April 8, 1997: Court permits Mahato to turn approver, pardons him.
May 6, 1997: Trial court decides to frame charges against all 20 accused, rejects petitions to name then Congress president Sitaram Kesri as accused.
September 12, 1997: Delhi high court upholds trial court decision to frame charges.
September 15, 1997: Trial court frames charges against Rao, 19 others.
October 13, 1997: Rao, Bhajan, Moily file special leave petitions in Supreme Court seeking constitutional immunity under Article 105. Court issues notice to CBI, but refuses to stay trial.
November 18, 1997: Three-member SC bench refers SLPs to constitution bench for interpretation of Article 105.
April 17, 1998: In a three-two verdict, SC rules that Article 105(2) of the Constitution provides immunity to bribe-takers -- Mandal, Soren, Marandi, Mahato, R L Yadav, Roshan Lal, Anadicharan Das, Abhay Pratap Singh, Haji Ghulam Mohammed -- as their act involved voting in Parliament. Those accused of giving bribes are liable to prosecution.
December 8, 1998: Government seeks review of judgement. SC subsequently dismisses petition, citing the long delay on the part of the government.
May 20, 1998: Ajit Singh, R L Yadav, eight others move trial court seeking discharge in the light of SC verdict.
June 4, 1999: Nine accused -- Marandi, Soren and Mandal (besides approver Mahato who was also a JMM MP), -- and former break-away Janata Dal-A MPs - Ram Lakhan Singh Yadav, who was also a Union minister, Abhay Pratap Singh, Anadi Charan Das, Ram Sharan, Roshan Lal and Haji Ghulam Mohammed -- discharged.
May 30, 2000: Trial ends, judge reserves judgement.
September 29, 2000: Court delivers judgement. Convicts Narasimha Rao and Buta Singh but acquits nine others including Bhajan Lal, Ajit Singh and Rajeshwar Rao.

UNI

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