72% ministers in Bihar’s new cabinet have criminal cases against them: Report

A whopping 72 percent of the newly sworn-in ministers in the new Grand Alliance government in Bihar have criminal cases pending against them, according to a report by the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) and Election Watch.

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav also have criminal cases registered against them. Kumar and Yadav have 1 charge each related to murder (IPC Section-302). Kumar also has another charge related to an attempt to murder (IPC Section-307). The case against the CM dates back to 1991.

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Nitish Kumar, who recently formed an alliance with the RJD to form the government after severing ties with the BJP, inducted 31 new ministers on Tuesday. The Chief Minister and his deputy had been sworn in on August 10.

Following the cabinet reconstitution, poll rights body ADR analysed the criminal, financial and educational details provided in the election affidavits of 32 of the 33 ministers, including the chief minister. Information of one cabinet minister, Ashok Chaudhary of JD(U), who is a nominated member of the Legislative Council, was not available as he was not required to submit his election affidavit.

Of the 32 Bihar ministers, criminal cases are pending against 23 (about 72 percent). The affidavits revealed that 17 ministers (53 percent) have serious criminal cases against them. Of the total 17 ministers from RJD, 15 (88 percent) have declared criminal cases against them.

Of the total 11 ministers from Nitish Kumar’s JD(U), four (36 percent) have criminal cases against them.

Both Congress ministers have criminal cases registered against them, of which one is facing serious criminal charges.

A serious criminal case is registered against offences which call for a maximum punishment of five years or more. Such offences can also be non-bailable.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) escalated attacks on the newly formed alliance in Bihar after Nitish Kumar broke ties with the national party to join hands with the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD)-led Mahagathbandhan (MGB).

A recent controversy erupted when Kartik Kumar of RJD allegedly skipped a court hearing in an abduction case to attend the swearing-in ceremony as a cabinet minister. Kartik Kumar is the new law minister of the state.

Singh was supposed to surrender in Danapur court on August 16 but appeared at the Patna Raj Bhawan to take the oath.

In comparison to the new cabinet, in the previous NDA government headed by Nitish Kumar, there were 18 ministers of the total 31 with criminal cases against them, the ADR and Election Watch report said. Of these, 14 ministers faced serious criminal cases.

According to the report, 27 (or 84 percent) of the ministers have assets worth in crores, including 16 from RJD and nine from JD(U).

Samir Kumar Mahaseth, an RJD minister from Madhubani constituency, has the highest declared total assets of Rs 24.45 crore. On the other hand, Murari Prasad Gautam, a Congress MLA from Chenari (SC) constituency, has the lowest assets at Rs 17.66 lakh.

The report said eight ministers of the 32 have declared their educational qualifications to be between Class 8 and 12. Another 24 ministers have said they have passed graduation or above.

Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav has the lowest educational qualification till class 8. Tej Pratap Yadav, his elder brother, has declared his educational qualification to be up to Class 12.