New Delhi, Sept. 29 :    New Delhi, Sept. 29:  History was made in the Vigyan Bhavan special courts this afternoon when former Prime Minister P.V. Narasimha Rao and his erstwhile Cabinet colleague Buta Singh became the first public servants to be convicted in a corruption case. Both senior Congressmen were found guilty of bribing MPs to scrape through a confidence motion the Rao government faced in July 1993. Special Judge Ajit Bharihoke, hearing the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) bribery case since 1997, said Rao and Buta Singh were guilty of criminal conspiracy, corruption and misuse of public office and would have to go to jail. The sentence - a maximum of seven years - will be argued from October 11. A shaken Rao, who left the court hurriedly (picture left), has decided to approach the high court against the conviction. Rao and Buta Singh also have the option of eventually appealing to the Supreme Court if the high court confirms Bharihoke's sentence. The two have been convicted under Section 120-B of Indian Penal Code (IPC) (criminal conspiracy) and Sections 7, 12, 13, 13(1), 13(2) and 13(1)(d) of the Prevention of Corruption Act (corruption and misuse of public offices). Rao had survived a no-confidence vote in 1993 by allegedly bribing four JMM MPs - Shibu Soren, Simon Marandi, Suraj Mandal and Sailendra Mahato - with cash. Each of the four received over Rs 40 lakh for bailing out the Rao government. Sailendra Mahato turned approver. Several others chargesheeted in the case - Ajit Singh, Bhajan Lal, Satish Sharma and Veerappa Moily, among them - were acquitted. The ruling under Section 13(1) (d) of the corruption law (PCA) is more important as it deals with misuse of public office. The issue of keeping the Prime Minister and his Cabinet colleagues within the ambit of the PCA has been the subject of a heated debate. One opinion is that the Prime Minister and all members of the council of ministers should be kept out of it and put under the Lok Pal. The Lok Pal Bill, however, is not a reality yet and Bharihoke's order emphasises that until that happens, the PCA will remain applicable. Bharihoke rejected all arguments. 'Now they only have to argue about how long their sentence would be.' Were Rao to be imprisoned, it will be a matter of debate whether he can be sent to a normal jail because he has to have round-the-clock SPG protection under law.