Top Indian politico jailed in bribe case

A former top leader of India's main Opposition Hindu nationalist party was jailed for four years on Saturday for accepting a bribe in a fake arms deal that was a media sting operation Bangaru Laxman, former president of the main Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), was secretly videotaped accepting the bribe from journalists pretending to be arms dealers 11 years ago.

The sting footage was aired on television channels nationwide, creating a political storm for the then BJP government, headed by Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

In a New Delhi court, Judge Kanwaljeet Arora sentenced the 72-year-old to four years in prison and imposed a 100,000 rupee ($2,000) fine under India's anti-corruption act.

AFP