SP has most MPs with criminal cases

New Delhi: On Sunday, former Chhattisgarh chief minister, Ajit Jogi, was arrested by the CBI in connection with the murder of NCP treasurer Ram Avtar Jaggi. Jaggi was shot dead in June 2003.

Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) leader, Shibu Soren, was given life imprisonment for murdering his aide.

More recently, BJP MP, Navjot Singh Sidhu was awarded a suspended sentence of three years for causing the death of a man in a road rage.

These are but a few cases where MPs and MLAs have been convicted of crimes. There are however a number of them who are facing criminal cases but have not been convicted.

The Samajwadi Party (SP) tops the list of parties having the maximum number of MPs and MLAs facing criminal cases in Uttar Pradesh.

As many as 106 legislators and 21 lawmakers from the state had criminal antecedents, according to a Home Department report to the Parliamentary Committee on election reforms.

BSP is in second place with 21 legislators facing criminal charges. BJP has 19 MLAs against whom criminal cases were pending followed by seven independents, two of Congress and three of the RLD.

As many as 10 ministers in Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's ministry and 93 Lok Sabha MPs face criminal charges ranging from murder to rape besides extortion and even attempt to commit suicide.

Among the central ministers, Mohammed Ali Ashraf, a minister of state in the human resources development ministry, faces serious charges ranging from extortion and links with the underworld and kidnapping gangs.

Textiles Minister Shankersinh Vaghela faces two corruption cases. Other minister facing charges are:

• Railway Minister Lalu Prasad
• Minister of State for Agriculture Taslimuddin
• Minister of State for Women and Child Development Renuka Choudhry (obstructing a public servant)
• Minister of State in Food and Public Distribution Suryakanta Patil
• Minister of State for Urban Development Ajay Maken
• Minister of State for Water Resources Jai Prakash Yadav (cheating and criminal conspiracy)
• Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar (religion institution act)
• Minister for Company Affairs Prem Chand Gupta (foreign exchange violations)

Among the MPs, SP's Ateeq Ahmed faces the maximum number of 21 criminal cases while another party MP Akshay Pratap Singh has six cases against him, the report said.

SP MP Afzal Ansari, who is currently lodged in jail in connection with the killing of BJP MLA Krishnanand Rai, also figures in the report.

(With inputs from agencies)