RANCHI: More than half of the MLAs in Jharkhand are tainted, having at least one or more criminal case pending against them in different courts of the State.
According to an affidavit submitted by Jharkhand Police in a PIL filed by a civil society ‘Jharkhand Against Corruption’ at the Jharkhand High Court, it stated that out of a total of 62 MLAs having criminal cases against them, 19 have been acquitted, while 43 MLAs still have cases pending against them.
“12 MLAs are being produced in the court, while arguments are on in cases related to two MLAs. Cases against six of the MLAs are under trial,” stated the affidavit filed in Jharkhand High Court. Charges are to be framed against six MLAs while another one has been granted bail, it said.
Police in its affidavit, however, did not mention the nature of cases against the MLAs, but the maximum number of cases (eight) are pending against Congress MLA Nirmala Devi, while JVM MLA Pradeep Yadav stands second with five cases against him.
Kushwaha Shivpujan Mehta has three cases pending against him while Enosh Ekka, Sadhu Charan Mahto and Sanjeev Singh have one case each, against them.
“Names of some of the MLAs sitting on constitutional posts have deliberately been dropped which also includes CM Raghubar Das, Urban Development Minister CP Singh, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Neel Kanth Singh Munda and former Ramgarh MLA Chandra Prakash Chaudhary,” said JMM General Secretary and Spokesperson Supriyo Bhattacharya.
Tainted netas?
An affidavit stated that out of a total of 62 MLAs having criminal cases against them, 19 have been acquitted, while 43 MLAs still have cases pending against them