Ranchi, Dec 25 (IANS) Nearly half of the 81 newly-elected legislators in Jharkhand have criminal cases registered against them, while 19 of them are “crorepatis” (multi-millionaires), official documents show.
As per Election Commission records, 37 legislators face criminal cases. The highest number of legislators with cases against them are from the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) at 10.

The JMM is followed by the Congress, with seven of 14 legislators with criminal records.

The Jharkhand Vikas Morcha-Prajatantrik (JVM-P) has six legislators with criminal records, while four of five All Jharkhand Students Union (AJSU) members face criminal charges.

Four of the 18 Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) members of the state assembly also have cases against them.

Two former ministers - Enos Ekka and Harinarayan Rai - who are in jail for amassing wealth disproportionate to their income also won.

Two other ex-ministers, Bandhu Tirkey and Nalin Soren, who also face corruption charges, have also been elected.

Meanwhile, 19 newly-elected legislators have declared assets more than Rs.1 crore.

The highest number of multi-millionaires are from the JMM (6), followed by the Congress (5) and the RJD (2). The BJP, the AJSU and the JVM-P have one each.

Multi-millionaire legislators include Geeta Koda, wife of former chief minister Madhu Koda in jail on money-laundering charges, and Ekka and Rai.