New Delhi: In a big relief to BJP leader Navneet Rana in the caste certificate case, the Supreme Court on Thursday set aside the Bombay High Court’s order cancelling the caste certificate issued to the Amravati Lok Sabha MP.
Pronouncing the order on the last day of nomination for the Amravati Lok Sabha seat, the apex court set aside the Bombay High Court verdict in 2021 on a plea seeking cancellation of her caste certificate dated 13th August 2013, issued by a Deputy Collector in Mumbai stating she belonged to Mochi caste. The top court said that the High Court should not have interfered in the matter, adding that the scrutiny committee had passed the order after relying on documentary evidence and hearing all sides.
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Wednesday 15 Jan. 2025
A Supreme Court bench comprising Justice JK Maheshwari and Justice Sanjay Karol, ruled in favour of Rana, stating that the High Court had erred in interfering with the scrutiny committee’s report on her caste certificate. The High Court had previously revoked Rana’s ‘mochi’ caste certificate, alleging fraudulent procurement using fabricated documents on June 8, 2021. Additionally, it imposed a fine of Rs 2 lakh on Rana, asserting that records indicated her belonging to the ‘Sikh-Chamar’ caste.
Navneet Rana, who clinched the reserved Amravati parliamentary seat in Maharashtra as an independent candidate in 2019, has recently joined the BJP and is poised to contest from the same constituency.
Reacting to the Supreme Court’s decision, Navneet Rana said, “Those who raised questions on my birth got an answer today. I thank the Supreme Court. The truth always wins. This is a victory for those who walk on the path shown by Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar and Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj”.
She said the upcoming national election was providing them with “a chance to vote for nation-building, development and benefit of the nation.”
Navneet forayed into politics after marrying BJP politician Ravi Rana. In 2014, she ran in her first election from Amravati on the NCP platform but her debut electoral contest ended in defeat.
“I have been working for the people of my region for many years. This is a big day for me and my constituency. This is the first time that voters in Amravati are getting a chance to vote for the nation-building, development and benefit of the nation,” she said.
“The people of my constituency are happier than me. They are happy that for the first time, the lotus symbol will appear on the ballot box. The people will directly support and vote for Prime Minister Narendra Modi,” she added.
Rana entered politics following her marriage to BJP leader Ravi Rana. Initially aligning with the NCP, she contested her inaugural election from Amravati in 2014, but faced defeat.
