28 Bihar Ministers’ assets average Rs 4.46 cr, 18 face cases: ADR

After the second Cabinet expansion in Bihar, 28 of the 31 members of the Bihar Cabinet own assets that average over Rs 4.46 crore even as 18 of them have declared criminal cases against themselves, the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) has said.

The ADR analysed the worth of 28 Ministers in the Nitish Kumar government, based on their affidavits filed with the Election Commission.

Of the 31 Ministers now, the assets of Ashok Chaudhary and Janak Ram could not be analysed as they are not members of the Vidhan Sabha or Vidhan Parishad. Ram Surat Rai's affidavit is not clear and hence it too was not analysed.

Water Resource Development Minister Sanjay Kumar Jha is the richest Minister with movable and immovable assets totalling Rs 22.37 crore. Former BSP MLA and now Minority Affairs Minister Jama Khan, who switched sides to the Janata Dal-United, is at the bottom with a worth of Rs 30.04 lakh.

A total of 20 Ministers have declared liabilities, including Vikassheel Insaan Party chief Mukesh Sahani who has declared that he is under debit of Rs 1.54 crore.

The ADR claimed that 18 Ministers have declared criminal cases against themselves, including 14 with serious criminal charges -- 57 per cent of the Ministers from the BJP, 27 per cent from the JD-U and all Ministers from VIP, Hindustan Awam Morcha and Independents.

Bihar now has 31-member Cabinet, including the Chief Minister. Party-wise, Janata Dal-United has 12 members in the Council of Ministers, including the CM, BJP 16, and Vikassheel Insaan Party, Hindustani Awam Morcha and Independent one each.