8 Nitish cabinet ministers have criminal cases, ADR report

In Bihar, newly appointed many ministers have alleged criminal records. According to the latest study by Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) & Election Watch, which was released on Wednesday after analysis of the self-sworn affidavits of the 14 ministers sworn into Nitish cabinet, eight (57%) have declared criminal cases including six (43%) with declared serious criminal cases against them.

The list of eight includes four from the BJP, two from the JD(U) and one each from the HAM-S and VIP. However, it is Choudhary’s induction in the cabinet that has triggered off an uproar. In 2017, after the FIR was lodged against Choudhary, Nitish Kumar had refused to even meet him. He is the sducation minister in the new cabinet. Choudhary, whose name had surfaced in the Bihar Agricu;ture University recruitment scam and an FIR was lodged against him by the order of the Raj Bhawan in a case involving appointment of 161 assistant professors and junior scientists, is the richest of all with declared assets of Rs 12.31 crore. The average assets of the 14 ministers analysed is Rs 3.93 crore. Choudhary has himself declared one criminal case and four serious cases under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) against him.

Animal husbandry and fisheries minister Mukesh Sahni has declared five criminal cases and three cases of serious nature under the IPC. BJP’s Jibesh Kumar has also declared five criminal cases and four cases of serious nature under the IPC. There are five others who have self-declared criminal cases of varying nature against them.

RJD leader Tejaswhi Prasad Yadav tweeted, “an absconding accused in corruption case has been made education minister”. “Nitish Kumar’s discourse on crime, corruption and communalism will, however, continue,” he added. Party spokesman Manoj Jha said the choice of Mewa Lal Choudhary as education minister was an indication enough of the CM’s weakened position and why Bihar lost after election results.

An earlier analysis by ADR & Election Watch had found that 163 (68%) out of the 241 newly-elected leaders from all parties had declared criminal cases. This is higher than the last time. Out of 243 MLAs analysed during Bihar Assembly elections in 2015, 142 (58%) had declared criminal cases against themselves. Out of that, 123 (51%) MLAs declared serious criminal cases this year, compared to 98 five years ago, said the report. With a large number of tainted candidates again winning the election, it shows compliance to the Election Commission (EC) guidelines in the light of the Supreme Court order to rein in such trend remains a distant dream.