Delhi Assembly elections: 43 per cent candidates face criminal charges, AAP tops the list

The charges against candidates include terrorism, rape, assault, threats, attacking government employees, defacing property, and disobeying government orders.
Image used for representation only
Image used for representation only(File Photo)
Updated on
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NEW DELHI: The Delhi Assembly elections have taken a controversial turn as a significant proportion of candidates from the three major parties – Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and Congress – are battling criminal charges.

An analysis of the affidavits submitted by these candidates to Election Commission of India (ECI) revealed that 43 per cent of the candidates from the three leading parties face criminal charges of various degrees.

AAP leads the pack with tainted candidates

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has emerged as the frontrunner in fielding candidates with criminal records. A staggering 58.5 per cent of its candidates have criminal antecedents, followed by Congress at 41.5 per cent and BJP at 28 per cent.

Out of 699 candidates contesting the elections, 129 face criminal cases, 89 of whom belong to these three key parties.

Charges range from assault to terrorism

The charges against candidates include terrorism, rape, assault, threats, attacking government employees, defacing property, and disobeying government orders.

Three prominent AAP candidates including party chief Arvind Kejriwal, former Deputy CM Manish Sisodia and Satyender Jain are also accused of corruption-related offenses.

AIMIM has fielded former AAP Councillor Tahir Hussain and Jamia alumni president Shifa-ur Rehman Khan, both of whom are accused in Delhi riot cases and are in jail. They had got custody parole to file nomination papers after which they were back in jail.

In constituencies of Matiala and Jangpura, all three candidates from AAP, BJP, and Congress have criminal cases registered against them. Meanwhile, ten constituencies, including Ghonda, Hari Nagar, and Trilokpuri, stand out for having no tainted candidates at all.

Serious offenses raise alarms

The list of allegations isn’t limited to minor offenses. For instance:

Sunil Kumar, contesting from Mundka for the Rashtriya Loktantrik Party, faces charges of rape, murder, and robbery.

Tahir Hussain from AIMIM, contesting from Mustafabad is booked under terrorism charges and money laundering act

AIMIM’s Okhla candidate Shifa-ur Rehman Khan is accused of rioting, raising funds for terrorist activity and conspiring and conspiring for murder

Jai Bhagwan Upkar, the AAP candidate from Bawana, is accused of attempt to murder.

Surender Bhardwaj, another AAP candidate from Bijwasan, is charged with attempt to robbery by beating.

Mangesh Tyagi, Congress’s candidate from Burari, faces a case of death due to negligence.

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