Chennai, Jan 10 (PTI) Former Tamil Nadu minister Balakrishna Reddy Thursday filed a plea in the Madras High Court challenging his conviction and three-year jail term in a two-decade-old riot case.

He was convicted by a special court in the case related to a protest against illicit liquor in Hosur.

Reddy also wanted the court to suspend his sentencing till the disposal of the appeal.

On January 7, Reddy, a former youth welfare and sports minister, was convicted by J Shanthi, a special judge for cases involving MPs and MLAs in the 1998 case.

Besides Reddy, who represents the Hosur constituency in the assembly, the court sentenced 15 other accused in the case to three years rigorous imprisonment.

Reddy faces disqualification as an MLA in view of the conviction unless it is stayed by a higher court.

Under Section 8(3) of the RPA, a person convicted of any offence and sentenced to imprisonment for not less than two years shall be disqualified for that period and a further six years after release.

According to the prosecution, during the demonstration held by the locals in Hosur in Krishnagiri district, about 300 km from here, the protesters allegedly went on a rampage and clashed with police, damaging several vehicles.

Three policemen were grievously injured, five buses were destroyed in stone-pelting and a police vehicle and a bike were burnt in the violence.

Subsequently, an FIR was registered against 108 people, including Reddy, for various Indian Penal Code (IPC) offences and under the Tamil Nadu Public Property (Prevention of Damage and Loss) Act.

The IPC offences included rioting and wrongful restraint

Challenging the conviction, Reddy alleged that the special judge has recorded the conviction without any legal evidence.

"The appellant is an MLA, the conviction disqualifies him from holding the position.

"Since the consequence that ensues the conviction is irreversible upon appellant succeeding in the instant appeal, he has also preferred application for suspension of conviction and sentencing till the disposal of the appeal," Reddy's counsel said.

The appeal is likely to come up for hearing on Friday.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)