Bihar 4th phase assembly polls: 253 candidates face pending criminal cases

Patna, Oct 26: There are 253 candidates who have declared pending criminal cases agaisnt them in Phase 4 of the Bihar Assembly Elections. Out of the 776 candidates analysed by the Association for Democratic Reforms, 253 or 33 per cent of the candidates have declared pending criminal cases against them.

201 Candidates or 26 per cent have declared serious criminal charges pending against them. These include murder, attempt to murder, communal disharmony, kidnapping, crimes against women etc.

Candidates with cases related to murder:

16 candidates have declared cases related to murder (Indian Penal Code Section-302). Amit Kumar, an Independent candidate from Sursand constituency has declared 4 charges related to murder while Birendra Prasad Gupta of the Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) Liberation (CPI (ML)(L)) from Sikta constituency has declared 3 charges related to murder in their respective affidavits.

Om Prakash Chaudhary of the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) from Sugauli constituency and Gorakh Yadav, an Independent candidate from Baikunthpur constituency, have each declared 2 charges related to murder against themselves.

In total, 1 candidate of Nationlist Congress Party (NCP), 3 of CPI (ML)(L), 1 candidate of Janata Dal (United) (JD(U)), 2 fielded by RJD, 1 candidate of Lok Janshakti Party (LJP), 1 candidate of Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), 1 candidate of Sarvajan Kalyan Loktantrik Party, 1 candidate fielded by Jan Adhikar Party(Loktantrik), and 5 Independent candidates have declared cases related to murder in their affidavits.

Candidates with cases related to attempt to murder:

60 candidates have declared cases of attempt to murder (IPC Section-307). While Amit Kumar, an Independent candidate from Sursand constituency has declared 7 charges related to attempt to murder, Sonu Kumar, an Independent candidate from Narkatia constituency has declared 5 charges related to attempt to murder in his affidavit.

Jitendra Paswan, a candidate fielded by the CPI (ML)(L) from Bhorey (SC) constituency and Gorakh Yadav, an Independent candidate from Baikunthpur constituency, have each declared 4 charges related to attempt to murder against themselves.

In total, 5 candidates of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), 7 of CPI (ML)(L), 3 candidates of JD(U), 4 candidates fielded by RJD, 1 candidate of the Indian National Congress (INC), 3 candidates of Communist Party of India (CPI), 3 candidates of Samajwadi Party (SP), 1 candidate of LJP, 3 candidates fielded by Jan Adhikar Party(Loktantrik), 5 candidates of Garib Janata Dal (Secular), 1 fielded by Rashtriya Jankranti Party, 1 candidate of Rashtriya Pragati Party, 1 candidate of Rashtrawadi Yuva Party, 1 candidate of BSP, 1 candidate of NCP, 1 candidate of Socialist Unity Centre of India (Communist) (SUCI(C)), 1 candidate of Aam Janta Party Rashtriya, 1 candidate of Jammu and Kashmir National Panthers Party, 1 of Rajnaitik Vikalp Party and 16 Independent candidates have declared cases related to attempt to murder in their affidavits.

Candidates with cases related to crimes against women:

13 candidates have declared cases related to crimes against women. Tarkeshwar Yadav of the CPI from Goriyakothi constituency, Mahamad Amarullah Ansari, a candidate fielded by Garib Janata Dal (Secular) from Gopalganj constituency along with Thakur Chandan Kumar Singh, an Independent candidate from Riga constituency have each declared 1 charge relating to rape (IPC Section-376) against themselves in their respective affidavits. Mahatab Alam, a candidate of of Aam Janta Party Rashtriya contesting from Kalyanpur constituency has declared offence related to buying minor for purposes of prostitution, etc. (IPC Section-373).

1 candidate fielded by BSP, 1 by SP, 1 of Shiv Sena (SHS),1 by Rashtriya Samanta Dal and 1 candidate of Bahujan Nyay Dal have each declared charge related to husband or relative of husband of a woman subjecting her to cruelty (IPC Section-498A).

Candidates with cases related to causing communal disharmony:

2 candidates have declared cases relating to causing communal disharmony. Pramod Kumar, a candidate fielded by BJP from Motihari constituency and Bablu Prasad of JD(U) from Siwan constituency have declared 1 charge each related to promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc., and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony (IPC Section- 153A)

Candidates with cases related to robbery and dacoity:

14 candidates have declared cases related to robbery and dacoity. Gorakh Yadav, an Independent candidate from Baikunthpur constituency has declared 3 charges related to making preparation to commit dacoity (IPC Section-399) and 3 charges related to assembling for purpose of committing dacoity (IPC Section - 402).

Avinash Kumar of Jan Adhikar Party (Loktantrik) from Paroo constituency has declared 4 offences related to robbery and dacoity, which include 1 charge related to making preparation to commit dacoity (IPC Section-399), 1 charge related to assembling for purpose of committing dacoity (IPC Section - 402), 1 charge related to dacoity (IPC Section-395) and 1 charge related to robbery, or dacoity, with attempt to cause death or grievous hurt (IPC Section-397).

Candidates with cases related to kidnapping:

10 candidates have declared cases related to kidnapping. Gorakh Yadav, an Independent candidate from Baikunthpur constituency, has disclosed 2 charges related to kidnapping for ransom, etc. (IPC Section-364A), 1 charge related kidnapping or abducting in order to murder (IPC Section-364) and 1 offence related to kidnapping or abducting with intent secretly and wrongfully to confine person (IPC Section-365) against himself.

Party wise candidates with criminal cases:

28 (67%) out of 42 candidates from BJP,11 (52%) out of 21 candidates from CPI, 17 (32%) out of 53 candidates from BSP, 15 (71%) out of 21 candidates fielded by JD(U), 17 (41%) out of 41 candidates from SP, 17 (65%) out of 26 candidates of RJD, 3 (38%) out of 8 candidates fielded by INC, 15 (45%) out of 33 candidates of Garib Janata Dal (Secular) along with 10 (56%) out of 18 candidates of the CPI(ML) (L) and 62 (23%) out of 265 Independent candidates have declared criminal cases against themselves in their affidavits.

20 (48%) out of 42 candidates from BJP,10 (48%) out of 21 candidates from CPI, 13 (25%) out of 53 candidates from BSP, 12 (57%) out of 21 candidates fielded by JD(U), 12 (29%) out of 41 candidates from SP, 10 (38%) out of 26 candidates of RJD, 2 (25%) out of 8 candidates fielded by INC, 11 (33%) out of 33 candidates of Garib Janata Dal (Secular) along with 10 (56%) out of 18 candidates of the CPI(ML) (L) and 53 (20%) out of 265 Independent candidates have declared criminal cases against themselves in their affidavits.

Red Alert constituencies:

48 (87%) out of the total 55 constituencies in the fourth phase of Bihar assembly elections have 3 or more candidates with declared criminal cases. Riga constituency with 9 candidates has the highest number of candidates who have self-declared criminal cases against themselves.

Party wise crorepati candidates:

28 (67%) out of 42 fielded by BJP, 7 (13%) out of 53 candidates of BSP, 16 (76%) out of 21 candidates from JD(U), 6 (75%) out of 8 candidates from INC, 15 (58%) out of 26 candidates from RJD, 21 (51%) out of 41 candidates fielded by SP, 4 (44%) out of 9 candidates of NCP, 5 (100%) out of 5 candidates of LJP and 64 (24%) out of 265 Independent candidates have declared assets worth more than Rs. 1 crore.

Average assets:

The average of assets per candidate contesting in the fourth phase of Bihar assembly elections is Rs 1.24 crores. Among major parties, the average assets per candidate for 42 BJP candidates is Rs 3.53 crores, 53 BSP candidates have average assets of Rs 76 lakhs, 21 JD(U) candidates have average assets worth of Rs 2.33 crores, 8 INC candidates have average assets worth Rs 3.33 crores, 26 RJD candidates have average assets worth of Rs 2.15 crores, average assets of 41 SP candidates are Rs 2.63 crores, 9 NCP candidates have average assets of Rs 1.82 crores, average assets of 5 LJP candidates are Rs 3.95 crores and 265 Independent candidates have average assets of Rs. 1.10 crores.

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