A court in Ballia in Uttar Pradesh on Thursday acquitted Samajwadi Party leader Ram Govind Chaudhary in a six-year-old case of violation of the election code.
Chaudhary attended the birth anniversary celebrations of Sant Vishwanath Das at Gaighat Panchrukha village under Revati police station of the district as the chief guest on February 2 in 2017 when the model code of conduct for the assembly elections was in force, according to the prosecution.
A poll official had filed a case against Chaudhary for violating the model code of conduct.
It was alleged that in the presence of Chaudhary, handbills of the Samajwadi Party seeking vote for it were distributed.
After investigation, the police filed a charge sheet against Chaudhary, the former leader of opposition in the assembly.
Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate (First) Tapasya Tripathi acquitted Chaudhary of the charges and ordered closure of the case, his counsel Tribhuvan Nath Yadav said.
