PATNA: Twenty-three (20%) out of the 116 candidates in the second phase of Lok Sabha election in Bihar have serious criminal charges of murder, attempt to murder, criminal intimidation and theft against them, according to their affidavits submitted along with the nomination papers.
The Association of Democratic Reforms (ADR) and Bihar Election Watch (BEW) analysed the affidavits of 116 out of the 117 candidates in the second phase of Lok Sabha election in Bihar.
JD (U) nominee from Jehanabad Anil Kumar Sharma is the richest candidate with an asset worth over Rs 849 crore while Sharvan Kumar Anand, an independent from Munger, has the lowest worth over Rs 5,000.
Three (43%) out of seven BSP candidates, two (29%) out of seven from JD (U), three (60%) out of five of RJD, two (50%) out of four of BJP, four (80%) out of five of CPI(ML) and six (19%) out of 32 independent candidates have declared in their affidavits about criminal cases pending against them.
Three candidates have murder cases under Section 302 IPC, eight have attempt to murder charges (Section 307 IPC) and three have both murder and attempt to murder cases filed against them, said Rajiv Kumar, spokesman of the BEW.
Two candidates face charges related to crime against women. Uchit Kumar, an independent candidate from Munger, has a case related to assault or using criminal force against a woman with intent to outrage her modesty (Section 354) and Manju Devi of Krantikari Vikas Dal from Jehanabad has a dowry death case under Section 304B against her.
Crorepati candidates: Out of the 116 candidates analysed, 33 (29%) are crorepatis. All the four BJP candidates, seven from JD (U), both of Congress and LJP, three (60%) out of five from RJD and three (43%) out of seven AAP candidates have declared assets worth more than Rs 1 crore. The average asset per candidate in the second phase is Rs.9.72 crore, report said.
Among major political parties, the average asset of seven JD (U) candidates is Rs 126.47 crore, four from BJP have Rs 35.04 crore, two Congress candidates have average Rs 7.27 crore, five from RJD have Rs 2.63 crore while two LJP candidates have average asset of Rs 2.19 crore.
Rajiv Kumar, an independent candidate from Patna Sahib, has declared nil assets while 11 candidates have assets worth more than Rs 5 crore.
Twenty of them have liabilities above Rs five lakh. JD (U) nominee Anil Kumar Sharma has liabilities of Rs 109.53 crore followed by Shatrughan Sinha of BJP from Patna Sahib with Rs 16.87 crore and Dadan Yadav of BSP from Buxar with Rs 10.35 crore, the report said.
Ten candidates have declared above Rs 20 lakh annual income. Anil Kumar Sharma has declared the highest total income of Rs 10.76 crore followed by Lallan Rup Narayan Pathak, an independent from Buxar with Rs 98.84 lakh and Shatrughan Sinha with Rs 91.21 lakh. The total income includes that of self, spouse and dependents.
Fifty-eight (50%) of the 116 candidates have not declared income tax details and 36 (31%) have not declared their PAN details.
Candidates with maximum assets
Anil K Sharma of JD (U), Jehanabad: Rs 849+ crore
Shatrughan Sinha of BJP, Patna Sahib: Rs 131+ crore
Sunil K Singh, independent, Pataliputra: Rs 12+ crore
Candidates with lowest assets
Sharwan K Anand, Ind, Munger: Rs 5,000+
Shashi Yadav, CPI-ML, Nalanda: Rs 14,000+
Rajendra Prasad Singh Chauhan, Bharat Vikas Morcha, Buxar: Rs 35,000+
