Many candidates in Cuttack have criminal cases

Surjit Kumar Dhal,Cuttack, April 7: A number of candidates who are in fray for the third phase poll in Cuttack have cases lodged against them.

             A total 38 candidates are in fray in Cuttack parliamentary constituency and its Assembly segments.

As many as 11 candidates are contesting in Cuttack Lok Sabha seat, while 10 are in fray in Barabati-Cuttack, 12 in Choudwar-Cuttack and five candidates in Cuttack-Sadar Assembly constituencies.

            Out of these, 23 per cent (or 9 candidates) have declared that they have criminal cases against them. This has been revealed in the affidavits filed by the candidates.

        The Barabati-Cuttack Assembly constituency has the highest number of candidates with several criminal cases against them.

        Topping the list in terms of declared criminal cases is the Congress candidate Mohammad Moquim in the constituency. Moquim, the president of City unit of Congress has declared that six vigilance cases are pending against his name. Besides, 7 other criminal cases are pending against him in Purighat, Markatnagar, Madhupatna and Balianta police stations.

BJP candidate and former minister Samir Day has declared having three criminal cases pending against his name in Lalbag, Purighat and Capital police station besides a vigilance case.

 The BJD candidate Debashis Samantaray has stated about pending of a Central Excise and vigilance case against his name while the Aam Aadmi Party(AAP) candidate Shaikh Muntaqueem Buksh has declared three criminal cases pending against his name in Mangalabag, Purighat and Bhadrak Town police stations.

 Independent candidate Hemant Behera contesting from the seat has one criminal case in Purighat police station.

          Similarly, two candidates in Choudwar-Cuttack Assembly Constituency have declared to have criminal cases against their names.

           While BJP candidate Nayan Kishore Mohanty has a criminal case in Purighat police station, Independent candidate Dipak Barik has 5 criminal cases including three in Choudwar and one each in Tangi and Athagarh police station.

                Cuttack Sadar BJP Candidate Dillip Mallik has mentioned about two criminal cases pending in Cuttack and Balasore Government Railway Police Stations against him.

                Congress nominee for Cuttack Lok Sabha seat Panchanana Kanungo has declared one criminal case pending against his name since 1990 in Choudwar police station.