Murder, rape, assault, arson, rioting, jail-break, financial fraud. These are some of the crimes Gujarat’s candidates have on their CVs. The Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) today released the first list of 138 candidates with criminal records. Here’s a low-down: • Of the 138, 34 candidates are from the BJP, 27 are from the Congress while 77 are Independents. • Nine of them face murder charges, 12 attempt to murder, three rape and 10 financial fraud. • The list includes five ministers and several former MLAs. Parties couldn’t care less • BJP general secretary Arun Jaitley: ‘‘Faced with compulsion, we try and balance between facts of the case and winnability. But the list has candidates with cases that haven’t been established. This leads to a question about their veracity. A large number of candidates are victims of exaggerated statements.’’ • AICC secretary Ved Prakash: ‘‘Unless a chargesheet is filed or a candidate is convicted for more than two years, he/she can contest. Merely filing FIRs does not disqualify a candidate as any rival can file it.’’ • In the BJP, those who have ‘‘serious’’ and more than five cases against them are Ashok Bhatt (Khadia), Dilip M. Patel (Anand), Jairajsinh Jadeja (Gondal), Jethabhai Bharvad (Shahara), Jitubhai Vaghela (Shaherkotda), Kantibhai Amrutiya (Morbi), Purshottam Solanki (Ghoga) and Ashok Haridas Lal (Dwarka). • In the Congress, it’s Jitubhai Harjibhai Chaudhary (Mota Ponda), Khumansinh R. Chauhan (Savli), Punja Vansh (Una), Vitthalbhai H. Radadia (Dhoraji) and Raghavji Hansraj Mungra (Jodiya). ADR chairman, Justice B.J. Diwan, alleged that caretaker Chief Minister Narendra Modi has made several inflammatory statements that violate Sections 153(1)(A),(B),(C), 295(A) and 505 of IPC. ‘‘No complaint has been filed against him as one needs permission from the central and state governments, which are led by the BJP,’’ he said. Prof. Trilonchan Sastry, a member of ADR, said the database is based on informal sources, feedback received from people after the ADR released advertisements and from the nearly 1,200 affidavits filed by candidates. On why the name of former chief minister Amarsinh Chaudhary, who has several cases against him, was not in the list, Diwan and Shastry said: ‘‘The candidate has not provided information on his criminal background in the affidavit. But if any body can provide details, we’re ready to add his name to the list.’’ Sastry said the ADR had given the party and the candidates a chance to prove their innocence, and those ‘‘who were able to’’ were not included in the list. Around 2,000 copies of the booklet were prepared and would be sent to the returning officers, Election Commissioner, government officials and NGOs.
