14 nominees fielded by political parties facing criminal cases
Deepender Deswal
Hisar, May 11
Parties have fielded 14 persons with criminal cases against them in the Lok Sabha poll in Haryana, including two each by the Congress, BJP and JJP. There are a total of 267 candidates in the fray at the 10 Lok Sabha seats.
The Election Commission of India data reveals that the BJP, Congress, JJP and BSP have two candidates each with criminal cases while the INLD and AAP have a candidate each.
The Kurukshetra constituency has the highest number of four candidates fielded by the parties with criminal cases against them. They are Naveen Jindal (BJP), Sushil Gupta (AAP), Abhay Singh Chautala (INLD) and Deepak Mehra (BSP).
Jindal, who is also the chairman of Jindal Steel and Power, has three CBI cases registered against him. In 2015, a case was registered under Sections 420 and 120 B, IPC, for the allocation of Urtan north coal block, which is under investigation. Another case was registered in 2014 under the Prevention of Corruption Act in case of allotment of Gare Palma IV/I coal block in Chhattisgarh to M/s Jindal Steel and Power Ltd. The third case was registered in 2013 in connection with allocation of Amarkonda Murgadanagal coal block to the company.
Jindal also faces three Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR) cases under the PMLA.
INLD candidate Chautala faces a case under the Prevention of Corruption Act related to assets disproportionate to known sources of income.
Congress Karnal candidate Divyanshu Budhirana faces four cases, including those pertaining to violation of Section 144, CrPC, and non-appearance in a case.
AAP nominee Gupta is facing a case of defamation.
BSP’s Deepak Mehra also faced a criminal case in 2016 under various Sections of the IPC. Though he was acquitted, the opposite party appealed against it.
In Gurgaon, Congress candidate Raj Babbar was convicted for two-year simple imprisonment by the court of ACLM, Lucknow, for hindrance in public work. The conviction was stayed by the Allahabad High Court (Lucknow Bench).
Gurgaon’s JJP candidate Rahul Yadav has been booked under various Sections of the IPC and under the Prevention of Cruelty Act and the Wildlife (Protection) Act on charges of using prohibited snakes in a video.
BJP’s Sirsa candidate Ashok Tanwar and Dharampal of the Loktantrik Lok Rajyam Party also have criminal cases against them. Tanwar faces charges under the Motor Vehicles Act in Uttar Pradesh for using a vehicle without registration and insurance.
JJP candidate in Bhiwani-Mahendragarh Bahadur Singh also faces a case at Sahibabad in UP under various Sections of the IPC. The others are Rakesh Kumar (Ambala) of Haryana Janseva Party, Desh Raj (Hisar) of BSP, Roop Singh (Karnal) of Rashtriya Garib Dal and Rakesh Singh (Rohtak) of Rashtrawadi Janlok Party-Satya.
