PRAYAGRAJ, Aug. 29 -- The Allahabad high court has stayed the conviction and the sentence awarded to former MP Umakant Yadav by the trial court of Jaunpur district in a 1995 case of murder during the pendency of the criminal appeal. By filing the present criminal appeal, the former MP had challenged the conviction and sentence awarded to him. The bench comprising Justice Siddharth and Justice Santosh Rai passed the order on August 27.

During the hearing, the counsel for the appellant submitted that the appellant is a political person and intends to contest the upcoming elections. He also relied upon the judgments of apex court in the cases of Navjot Singh Siddhu vs state of Punjab and another of 2007 and Lok Prahari vs Election Commissio...