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After the court pronounced its judgement, all the convicts were taken into judicial custody. The court has fixed January 22 for pronouncing the quantum of sentence.
Special CBI Judge Vinod Kumar held Chautala, his son and others guilty of offences under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Prevention of Corruption Act (PCA).
Apart from the Chautalas, Sanjiv Kumar, the then Director of Primary Education, Chautala's former Officer on Special Duty Vidya Dhar and Sher Singh Badshami, political adviser to the then Haryana CM were convicted by the court in the case.
The court has fixed January 17, 19 and 21 for hearing the arguments on sentence.
The court had framed charges against them under sections 120-B (criminal conspiracy), 420 (cheating), 467 (forgery), 468 (forgery for cheating), 471 (using as genuine a forged document) of the IPC and and provisions of the PCA.
The court had reserved its verdict in the case on December 17, 2012 after conclusion of final arguments by the CBI and the defence counsel.
Out of the initial 62 accused, six had died during the trial while one had been discharged by the court at the time of framing of charges.
The court had earlier found prima facie evidence against Chautala, his son Ajay and 53 others, including IAS officers Dhar and Kumar.
Kumar was made accused by the CBI after he exposed the JBT recruitment scam.
The 55 persons convicted by the court today include 16 women.
Except the accused, their counsel, prosecutors and the court staff, the judge did not allow anyone else to enter the court room.
The relatives and family members of the accused and media persons were asked to stand behind the barricades set up outside the courtroom, as the proceedings were held amidst tight security.
The CBI had on June 6, 2008, charge sheeted the Chautalas, Indian National Lok Dal leaders, and others in connection with the scam relating to appointment of 3,206 junior basic teachers in the state during 1999-2000.
In its chargesheet, the CBI had said that the probe established the manner in which the second lists were made by calling the chairpersons and members of the district-level selection committees of 18 districts to Haryana Bhawan here and a guest house in Chandigarh, where the modalities were worked out.
The CBI, in its chargesheet, had also said that the father-son duo had used forged documents to appoint 3,206 teachers.
The apex court had in its order on November 25, 2003, directed CBI to take up the investigation of the case.
Reacting to conviction of Om Prakash Chautala, his son Ajay and 53 others in the case involving illegal recruitment of junior basic teachers in the state, Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda said "the law is taking its course."
"The law is taking its course. The violation of law results only in such things," said Hooda.
Om Prakash Chautala's younger son Abhay Chautala today denied that his father and brother committed any illegality in recruitment of junior basic teachers in the state saying there was "nothing related to corruption" in the matter.
"The matter is not related to corruption. No money had exchanged hands in the issue. We had appointed teachers on the merit," Abhay told the media after the court pronounced its judgement, convicting his father, brother and 53 others in the case.
He added he would go through the judgement to see what kind of "negligence" has been attributed to them.
While denying the involvement of his family members in the case, Abhay laid the blame on Sanjiv Kumar saying the IAS officer while heading the Department of Primary Education was involved in several scams and the state government had suspended him after they came to light.
In order to save himself, Kumar went to the Supreme Court and told it that he was pressurised by Om Prakash Chautala, said Abhay adding that his (Kumar's) allegations, however, has not been proved in the court.
He said the recruitment to the posts of JBT were opened by the government preceding that of the Chautalas and that all formalities were done by previous government.
Making it clear that the Chautalas will file an appeal against the verdict convicting them, Abhay said "we will study the judgement and will approach a higher court."
Haryana Janhit Congress president Kuldeep Bishnoi said "the corrupt deeds" of Chautala has finally caught up with him and described the INLD supremo's conviction by the court as the "beginning of the end" for his party.
"Sooner or later he had to go to jail for his corrupt deeds. The only question was when. I salute the Delhi court for its verdict, I believe it is a milestone decision," Hisar MP Bishnoi said over the telephone.
These people have corrupted India to the roots- I remember 30 years ago, I got 92% in English in High school and failed my Rohtak Medical college entrance exam only in the English part!! Did'nt make sense , though I did fine eventually. Every time I visit India I see corruption at many levels. People living there have got used to it, but it never fails to shock me as an NRI.
why congress fraudsters not arrested ? Or even the massive Lavassa scam mastermind ?
In our country mostly politician are involve in any type of scam like Grass Scam, 2G scam and all the few name of scam. I personally advice to all do work hard and denied the bribe and be honest yourself.In the time of election all the politician Expand money in election and they reward after win election. So,we need to be honest for our development of our country.
It is no surprise that have been held guilty, looking at reputation of Chautala Co. during Om Parkash Chautala as CM tenure. The stories have been heard of their greed for money & goondagardi, this is a minor case. Height as reached hen a factory did not oblige them with paying money & announced to shift his factory from Haryana, With the intervention of PM Mr. Vajpyee, the agreement was reached between the two factory owner paid agreed amount to CH. Co.
This is shameful...law catching up with the culprits...
It is representative of the deeds of most of the Politicians looting the country. Unfortunately they will continue to be shameless and for them law will continue to take it course till Supreme Court. In the meanwhile they will be at bail and will continue to get support of section of public. How unfortunate.
Om Parkash Cbhautala has brought bad name of this father Ch.Devi Lal. He was agood man.
This is one particular case where few peoples are accused and booked for recruitment corruption . All recruitment done after 2000 should also be investigated specially during Congress time . The corruption is there in from clerk , JE and Police etc general peoples are paying prices . Deserving candidates most of the time did not get the Govt Jobs. o in frustration they opt private sector for their survival.
