72% of Bihar mantris face criminal cases: ADR | India News

As many as 23 of the 33 Bihar ministers, including CM Nitish Kumar and deputy CM Tejashwi Prasad Yadav, have self-declared pending criminal cases against them, said the Association for Democratic Rights (ADR) in its report released on Wednesday. A whopping 72% of the total ministers have criminal cases pending against them.
Overall, RJD has 17 ministers, followed by 11 from JD(U), two from Congress, one from HAM(S) and one minister who is an Independent MLA. While the ADR report is based on the affidavits submitted to the Election Commission, it also said as many as 17 ministers have serious criminal cases. They include 11 of RJD, three of JD(U), one each of Congress and HAM(S) and the Independent MLA. The details regarding Ashok Kumar, who is an MLC, have not been included, as the affidavit was not available.

As to their financial background, 27 (or 84%) of the ministers are crorepatis — 16 of RJD, nine of JD(U), one from HAM(S) and the Independent MLA. The average assets of the 32 ministers are worth Rs 5.82 crore. RJD minister Sameer Kumar Mahaseth has the highest assets worth Rs 24.45 crore, while Congress minister Murari Prasad Gautam has the lowest assets worth Rs 17.66 lakh.
The average worth of assets of the RJD ministers is Rs 7.59 crore, of the JD(U) ministers Rs 4.55 crore and of the Congress Rs 53.79 lakh, while that of the HAM(S) minister is Rs 2.57 crore and of Independent MLA Rs 3.68 crore. Further, 23 ministers (or 72%) carry liabilities, with RJD’s Lalit Kumar Yadav having the highest liability worth Rs 2.53 crore.