JD (U) national secretary Virendra Singh Bidhuri gets one year jail term in theft case

Janta Dal United National Secretary Virendra Singh Bidhuri has been sentenced to one year jail term in a theft case by a Delhi court, which said he does not deserve to be released on probation as he failed to learn a lesson despite being convicted in other criminal cases.

Additional Sessions Judge Rajender Kumar Shastri ordered that Virendra be taken into custody to serve the jail term, saying, "when sweet pills fail to yield desired result, it is better to inject bitter dose, to remove infection from afflicted body".

The court's order came on an appeal filed by one Vivek Gupta challenging a magisterial court's August 2013 decision convicting him in a theft case but was released on probation of good conduct for a period of one year.

Virendra is cousin of Ramesh Bidhuri, recently elected BJP MP from South Delhi, according to Vivek's lawyer.

But the MP has claimed that he is not related to Virendra Singh Bidhuri.

"In modern civilised society, reformation aspect is being given somewhat greater importance, too lenient as well as too harsh sentences both loose their efficaciousness; one does not deter and the other may frustrate, thereby making the offender a hardened criminal.

"In my opinion, when respondent no.2/accused (Virendra) did not learn any lesson despite being convicted at least in two criminal cases. In spite of improving himself, he kept on committing acts which according to the police were contrary of law and hence same i.e. respondent no.2 was booked for various offences including a case of murder," the judge said, which also imposed a cost of Rs 50,000 on the convict.