5 candidates in first phase have criminal cases

Guwahati: Five out of the 41 candidates in the fray for the first phase of the Lok Sabha election in Assam, have criminal cases against them. From heinous crimes like murder, kidnapping, rioting, extortion and forgery, the candidates have various offences tainting them. Dibrugarh, Jorhat, Kaliabor, Lakhimpur and Tezpur are the five parliamentary seats going to the polls in the first phase tomorrow.
A report from the Assam Election Watch (AEW) on Monday said at least five candidates, two Independent, have previous criminal cases pending against them. “These candidates are accused of 12 serious offences under IPC. Among them, two of the candidates from Tezpur constituency—Ziabur Rahman Khan (Independent) and Mahendra Bhuyan (Nationalist Congress Party) have two criminal cases each. While Khan was accused of murder, kidnapping for ransom, robbery and causing the disappearance of evidence, Bhuyan was accused of obscene acts, songs and criminal trespass,” said AEW in the report.

The Independent candidate from Kaliabor, Jiten Gogoi, too declared he has a criminal case against him in his affidavit. He was accused of rioting, unlawful assembly, criminal trespass and intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace. The report added, “Kaliabor’s other candidate, Diganta Kumar Saikia of Hindusthan Nirman Dal, too has criminal cases against him. He has declared he has a criminal case in which he was accused of cheating, forging documents as well as criminal conspiracy. Similarly, National People’s Party (NPP) Dibrugarh candidate Bhaben Baruah has a criminal case against him in which he was charged with extortion, forgery for purpose of cheating and wrongful confinement.”

Tasaduk Ariful Hussain, state coordinator, AEW, also informed that four out of these five candidates with criminal cases are not graduates. “Out of the total, at least 18 candidates are not graduates. Two of them have not completed their education even up to Class X, 11 candidates have just qualified up to Class X and five have qualified till Class XII,” he added.

In the first phase of polls, with 12 Independent candidates, 15 other parties have fielded their nominees from various seats. While Congress is contesting in all the seats, BJP and NPP are contesting from four seats each. BJP’s ally AGP is only contesting in Kaliabor seat after it refreshed its ties with the ruling party.