Congress’ Dhanbad candidate Kirti Azad has ‘aged’ just three years since 2014 polls
In 2014 affidavit, Kirti Azad was 55-year-old according to the details he had submitted to contest for Darbhanga seat in Bihar. In his recent affidavit filed to contest from Dhanbad seat, he claimed he was 58-year-old.
Former cricker and three-term MP from Bihar’s Darbhanga Lok Sabha constituency Kirti Azad, who is a Congress candidate for Dhanbad Lok Sabha seat this time, has aged just three years in last five years, according to affidavit filed by him .
In 2014 affidavit, he was 55-year-old according to the details he had submitted to contest for Darbhanga seat in Bihar. In his recent affidavit filed to contest from Dhanbad seat, he claimed he was 58-year-old.
Azad is still a voter in New Delhi assembly segment though he represented Darbhanga seat of Bihar in Lok Sabha twice since 2009 till date.
Reacting to it, Azad said, “I have filed only the age that is mentioned on my voter ID card as I had to give it as a proof that I am a registered voter of a particular constituency.”
Additional chief election office of Jharkhand VK Choubey, said, “If returning officer finds that the information given in the affidavit is wrong, he can file a case. However, candidature cannot be rejected on this particular issue.”
BJP spokesman Milton Parthsarth said, “We demanded the returning officer to take appropriate action on this issue.”
As per the affidavit, Azad as well as his wife have grown richer. A pension beneficiary of Board of Control of Cricket in India (BCCI), Azad also earns money as commentator of cricket matches, according to the affidavit he filed on Saturday before the returning officer in Dhanbad.
According to the affidavit filed, Azad and his spouse have a total moveable and immovable property worth over ₹6.45 crores (according to current market value) that includes inherited property and commercial complex they have rented out to private and public limited companies in Patna Bihar. It was over ₹2.83 crores in 2014. The two realise hefty monthly rents from the Patna-based commercial complex, the affidavit says. In one case the couple realizes monthly rent of over ₹4 lakh from a private limited firm having corporate office at Patna.
Besides, the couple has investment corers of rupees in shares and debauchers too besides other investments.
However, their liabilities too grew many a fold. In 2014, their joint liability was just over ₹4 lakh but in 2019 they claim to have liabilities of over ₹41 lakh jointly.
On hike in property from 2014 to 2019 Azad said,” I inherited paternal property after death of my father thus hike has been shown.”