While dismissing the disproportionate assets charge against former Union minister and former Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti, the Lokpal ruled that allegations against government servants cannot be based on “hearsay” and should be supported by an affidavit of the complainant.
Former Union minister Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti. (PTI File)Terming the allegations against Jyoti as “unsubstantiated” and “baseless”, the anti-corruption watchdog in an order passed on January 29 rejected the complaint.
In its order, a full bench of the Lokpal headed by Justice AM Khanwilkar said, “…complainant’s allegations against Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti for acquiring assets disproportionate to her known sources of income during the relevant period are totally unsubstantiated and baseless.”
Coming down heavily on the complainant, the Lokpal observed, “The complainant cannot simply present some material available in the public domain and sustain the complaint without first taking the trouble to verify it at his level.”
“This is so because the complaint is required to be supported by an affidavit of the complainant as per the Lokpal (Complaints) Rules, 2020 who is aware of the facts of the case,” it said.
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The bench also observed that “it would be unsafe to proceed against the Government servants on the basis of the complaint filed on the basis of hearsay information of the complainant, who does not even want to take responsibility for the correctness of the allegations made by him in the affidavit”.
The charges against Jyoti, based primarily on her election affidavits for 2014, 2019 and 2024, allege a meteoric rise in her wealth that cannot be justified by her known sources of income. Responding to the allegations, the former minister filed an affidavit stating that all income was transparently declared in his election documents and described the allegations as false and defamatory.
The Lokpal underlined that Jyoti has provided detailed information regarding her income, assets, market value appreciation of immovable properties, bank statements and other supporting documents along with her affidavit.
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“According to the affidavit and other documents submitted, we find that during the financial year 2014-2019, the total ₹97,73,537 was credited to Jyoti’s parliamentary bank account for salary and allowances, which was fully verified and matched with the bank statements kept on record. In view of the above, the increase ₹45 lakh disclosed in his 2019 election affidavit is fully justified and supported by documentary evidence,” the Lokpal said.
The bench also observed that during the period 2019 to 2024, his income tax returns reflect taxable income. ₹32.08 lakhs, whereas the total amount ₹1,24,38,495 accrued as salary and allowances, of which ₹78.50 lakhs in respect of non-taxable allowance. Also, he sold cattle of value ₹9 lakhs during this period.
“Therefore, considering the notional increase in the value of immovable property and gross taxable and non-taxable income and receipts from the sale of livestock, the increase ₹1.2 crore in assets fully accounted for,” the Lokpal concluded.
