12 new MLAs have criminal cases pending against them

Of the 90 winning candidates in the 2024 Haryana Assembly, 12 (13%) have criminal cases pending against them.

According to the Association for Democratic Reforms’ report, released today, seven (19%) MLAs of the 37 from the Congress, three (6%) of the 48 MLAs from the BJP and two of the three Independents winning candidates have declared criminal cases against them in their affidavits.

Congress MLA from Ferozepur Jhirka, Mamman Khan, has four FIRs against him, and one of them has an Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967, related to Nuh riots of 2023. He is facing charges related to promoting enmity between different groups on the grounds of religion, causing the disappearance of evidence of offence, robbery or dacoity with an attempt to cause death, and criminal intimidation. He has also been facing charges related to mischief by fire or explosive substance with intent to destroy a house etc.

Former CM Bhupinder Singh Hooda, elected from Garhi Sampla Kiloi, is facing eight cases. These have been filed by the CBI and the Enforcement Directorate under the Prevention of Corruption Act and the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, respectively. Other charges against him include criminal breach of trust, criminal conspiracy, cheating and forgery.

Congress’ Gokul Setia from Sirsa is facing two cases, related to criminal intimidation, house trespass, and voluntarily causing hurt to deter public servant from his duty. BJP’s Dhanesh Adlakha from Badkhal is facing two cases, with charges including related to the Prevention of Corruption Act, cheating and forgery.

After the 2019 Assembly elections too, there were 12 MLAs with criminal cases against them.

Of the 90 winning candidates, 86 (96%) are crorepatis. Forty-six (96%) of the 48 winning candidates from the BJP, 35 (95%) of the 37 MLAs from the Congress, two (100%) MLAs from the INLD and three (100%) Independent MLAs have declared assets worth more than Rs 1 crore.

Independent MLA from Hisar, Savitri Jindal, is the richest MLA with total assets of Rs 270.66 crore. BJP MLA from Kalka, Shakti Rani Sharma, is the second richest with assets of Rs 145.24 crore, and BJP’s Tosham MLA Shruti Choudhry with assets of Rs 134.57 crore is the third richest.

BJP’s Bawani Khera MLA Kapoor Singh has the lowest assets at Rs 7.20 lakh, while Devender Hans, Congress’ Guhla MLA, has assets of Rs 9 lakh. Hans doesn’t have any residential or commercial property. Congress’ Ratia MLA Jarnail Singh has assets of Rs 53 lakh.

The number of re-elected MLAs is 30 and growth in their assets in the last five years is 59 per cent.

Twenty-six MLAs (29%) have declared their educational qualification to be between Class VIII pass and Class XII pass, while 61 (68%) winning candidates have declared to be graduates and above, and two MLAs are diploma holders. An MLA has declared himself just literate.

Thirty-one MLAs have declared their age to be between 25 and 50 years while 59 winning candidates have declared their age between 51 and 80 years.

Thirteen (14%) winning candidates are women. In 2019, of the 90 MLAs, nine (10%) MLAs were women.