Punjab: Congress, BJP, SAD field MLAs with criminal charges

Five legislators, who are contesting the forthcoming assembly polls in Punjab, have serious criminal cases like murder, attempt to murder, kidnapping, robbery etc pending against them.

This information has been revealed by the Punjab Election Watch which, along with the Association for Democratic Reforms, has assessed financial and other details of the members of legislative assembly seeking re-election in Punjab.

As many as 18 MLAs of the 77 MLAs contesting this year have criminal cases pending against them.

Reportage: Vicky Nanjappa

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The average assets of these MLAs as declared in 2007, was Rs 4,60,37,351 (Rs 4.6 crore). The average assets of these MLAs, as declared in 2012, was Rs 10,73,33,640 (Rs 10.7 crore). Average asset growth for these re-contesting MLAs is Rs 6,12,96,289 (Rs 6.1 crore)

On an average, the assets of these MLAs grew by 133 per cent.

In the Congress, 10 MLAs have pending criminal charges; 4 of them face serious charges.

The Shiromani Akali Dal has fewer MLAs facing serious crimes -- seven -- and one of them faces a serious charge.

In the BJP, only one MLA has a pending criminal charge and it is not a serious one.

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Balbir Singh Sidhu, a Congress leader, faces charges related to murder, attempt to murder, rioting, armed with deadly weapon, unlawful assembly, criminal conspiracy etc.

SAD leader Sukhbir Singh Badal faces charges related to attempt to murder, robbery, voluntarily causing hurt, causing disappearance of evidence of offence, criminal conspiracy etc.

Congress leader Makhan Singh faces charges of attempt to murder, criminal intimidation, rioting, armed with deadly weapon, unlawful assembly etc.

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Let's take a look at the crorepati candidates:

Congress leader Kewal Singh Dhillon, who is contesting from Barnala, had assets worth  Rs 6.83 crore in 2007. Today, his assets are worth Rs 78 crore; that is a percentage increase of 1,048 per cent.

Congress leader Sukhpal Singh, who is contesting from Bholnath, was worth Rs 2 crore in 2007. Today, he possesses assets worth Rs 52 crore. His assets have multiplied by 2,282 per cent in the last five years.

BJP leader S Shukhpal Singh Nanu, from Firozpur constituency, was worth Rs 7 crore in 2007. Today he is worth Rs 55 crore; his assets have multiplied by 605 per cent.

Available affidavits reveal that the average asset increase for Congress MLAs seeking election is Rs 6.81 crore, for SAD MLAs it is Rs 4.74 crore each and for BJP MLAs it is Rs 6 crore.

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