Rajesh Juvantha, Congress legislator from Purola in Uttarkashi district of Uttarakhand on Friday surrendered before Civil Judge of Purola to serve his remaining sentence of imprisonment in a case related to poll violence during Panchayat elections in 2002. Prior to his surrender, Uttarakhand Congress leaders held a rally at Purola to show solidarity with the convicted legislator. The apex court had upheld the decision of the lower court in a Special Leave Petition filed by Juvantha for quashing of his sentence in November 2007 and ordered the convict to undergo the remaining period of his sentence. Interestingly, the former Uttarkashi district president of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, Ami Chand Shah, who too, was a convict in the case, surrendered in the civil court to complete his sentence. Juvantha was convicted by Munsif Magistrate of Purola in Uttarkashi district for six-month imprisonment for allegedly tearing ballot papers during the Panchayat elections in 2002. He was in jail for one-and-a-half months and was later, bailed out. In the Assembly polls held in February 2007, Juvantha — a Congress candidate from Purola reserved constituency — was elected as a legislator. Former Uttarakhand Congress Chief Harish Rawat, Lok Sabha MP from Tehri Vijay Bahuguna, former ministers Indira Hariydesh, Pritam Singh and Govind Singh Kunjwal participated in the rally at Purola to show solidarity with Juvantha.
