Court to hear arguments in complaint on concealment of marital status against PM Narendra Modi from June 12

A court in Ahmedabad will hear from June 12 arguments on an application seeking registration of FIR against Prime Minister Narendra Modi for concealing his marital status in his affidavit filed during the 2012 Assembly elections.

Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate MM Sheikh of Ahmedabad rural court on Saturday recorded the statement of AAP member Nishant Verma, who has sought registration of a first information report (FIR) and a police probe against Modi, and scheduled the arguments for June 12.

On May 21 Ahmedabad police's crime branch had submitted a report saying Modi was not found to have committed any cognisable offence by leaving the column on marital status blank in his election affidavit in 2012. Verma had earlier approached Ranip police station here and demanded registration of FIR against Modi. He also sought action against the Returning Officer of Maninanagar assembly constituency, PK Jedeja. Police refused, so he moved the court seeking a direction to the police to do so.

Modi disclosed his marital status and the name of his wife (Jashodaben) for the first time in his affidavit accompanying the nomination for Vadodara Lok Sabha seat this year. Earlier when he had contested Gujarat assembly polls, he left the column on information about the spouse blank. Verma wants FIR against Modi under IPC charges of giving a false statement, giving false evidence under oath, abetting, and cheating, among others.