Claim

The PV Narasimha Rao–JMM bribery scandal took place, and PV Narasimha Rao had to appear in court over it; it was a very big matter.

“पीवी नरसिम्हा राव और जेएमएम घूसकांड जो हुआ था वो भी संविधान को बचाने के लिए हुआ था। जिसमें कोर्ट में पीवी नरसिम्हा राव को जाना पड़ा था। बहुत बड़ा मैटर था।”

Rationale

The JMM bribery scandal is well documented: JMM MPs were allegedly bribed to vote against the July 1993 no-confidence motion, and P.V. Narasimha Rao was charge-sheeted (1996), became the first former Indian PM to appear in court as an accused, was convicted by a Special CBI Court in 2000, and was acquitted on appeal in 2002. The case also produced the landmark Supreme Court ruling on Article 105 parliamentary immunity, supporting the characterization that it was 'a very big matter.' The anchor's factual assertions — that the scandal occurred and Rao had to go to court — are accurate; his framing that the bribery was done 'to save the Constitution' is rhetorical opinion, not a verifiable factual claim, and does not alter the accuracy of the stated facts.

Evidence

• https://indiankanoon.org/doc/45852197/ Supreme Court judgment P.V. Narasimha Rao vs State (CBI/SPE), 17 April 1998 — primary court record of the JMM bribery case, arising from the alleged bribing of JMM MPs to defeat the July 1993 no-confidence motion against Rao's government. ✓ reachable · archived
• https://www.tribuneindia.com/2000/20000930/main1.htm Contemporary news report of the Special CBI Court convicting former PM P.V. Narasimha Rao and Buta Singh in the JMM MPs bribery case in 2000, confirming Rao faced trial and appeared in court as an accused. ✓ reachable · archived
• https://www.lawctopus.com/academike/pv-narasimha-rao-v-state-jmm-bribery-case/ Legal case analysis confirming the JMM bribery scandal, the 1996 CBI charge sheet against Rao, his 2000 trial-court conviction, and his 2002 acquittal on appeal by the Delhi High Court. ✓ reachable · archived