Jammu, Apr 09 (KNO): Dr Jitendra Singh, Union Minister and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate for the Udhampur-Kathua-Doda Lok Sabha constituency has emerged as the wealthiest candidate, with a significant increase in assets over the past decade.
Former J&K Minister Ghulam Mohammad Saroori from the Democratic Progressive Azad Party (DPAP) and former Member of Parliament Choudhary Lal Singh from the INDIA Bloc (comprising National Conference and PDP), supporting the Congress candidate, also possess substantial resources, although they do not match Singh's wealth.
Dr Jitendra Singh - BJP
Leading the pack is Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh whose financial portfolio has seen a remarkable surge over the past decade. His assets have soared from Rs 3.19 crore in 2014 to around 8 crore this year. This wealth includes movable assets of over Rs 3.33 crore and immovable properties valued at Rs 7.04 crore.
His spouse's assets have witnessed a surge, with movable and immovable assets valued at Rs 1.64 crore in 2024. Their combined financial strength has contributed to this increase.
Dr Singh's annual income has shown a consistent rise, from Rs 8 lakh in 2013-2014 to Rs 33 lakh in 2022-23. In terms of movable assets, Singh possesses Rs 3.33 crore, while his wife holds Rs 88.88 lakh. They also maintain substantial balances in their bank accounts and fixed deposits. Their vehicle assets include a Ford SUV valued at Rs 26 lakh owned by Dr Singh and a Chevrolet Aveo valued at Rs 2.7 lakh owned by his wife. Their jewellery holdings include Rs 13.30 lakh worth for Dr Singh and Rs 16.50 lakh worth for his wife.
The Union Minister also possesses significant real estate, including an ancestral orchard in Doda valued at over Rs 1 crore and a residential home in Jammu’s Trikuta Nagar valued at over Rs 2.5 crore. His spouse owns non-agricultural land in Gaghwal, Kathua, and a residential flat in Noida with a combined value of Rs 1.68 crore.
Singh's income sources include pension, salary as a Member of Parliament and Minister of State, and interest from deposits, while his spouse's income is from interest on deposits.
In contrast, his opponents, Choudhary Lal Singh (former MP and former minister) of the INDIA Bloc and Ghulam Mohammad Saroori (former minister) representing the DPAP, although not as affluent, still command substantial resources. Interestingly, while Dr Singh and Saroori have maintained clean records devoid of any pending police cases, Choudhary Lal Singh has mentioned one ongoing case under investigation by the Enforcement Directorate in his records.
Ghulam Mohammad Saroori - DPAP
Ghulam Mohammad Saroori, a former minister representing the DPAP, declared assets worth Rs 5 crore, with his wife also possessing significant gold jewellery. Saroori, previously a minister in the Omar Abdullah-led Congress-National Conference coalition government but who switched to the Ghulam Nabi Azad-led DPAP last year, reports an annual income of Rs 7.55 lakh, primarily from his pension. His wife, a retired government teacher, has considerable wealth.
As per the financial statement, Saroori's movable assets are valued at Rs 4.44 lakh, including amounts deposited in various bank accounts. His wife's movable assets are valued at Rs 28.276 lakh, including gold worth over Rs 26 lakh and some deposits in bank accounts. Saroori also possesses a residential house in Srinagar and commercial properties in Jammu and Kishtwar, besides agricultural land, amounting to Rs 5.19 crore. His spouse has also contributed to the wealth with multiple properties in Kishtwar valued at Rs 84 lakh.
Choudhary Lal Singh - Congress
Choudhary Lal Singh of Congress earned an annual income of Rs 11.41 lakh in 2013-14, although his recent declaration shows a decline. He declared an income of Rs 4.55 lakh in 2022-23.
His wife, also a former legislator, receives a yearly income of Rs 16.74 lakh as per the 2022-23 declaration. She shows her income sources as pension as an MLA, interest from savings, and salary as the Chairman of an Educational Trust. There are no criminal cases registered against Choudhary at any police station. However, he has been investigated under a Prevention of Money Laundering case registered by the Enforcement Directorate in the RB Education Trust Case.
In terms of liquid assets, Choudhary holds Rs 45,000 in cash, while his wife possesses Rs 40,000. They also maintain balances of Rs 26.53 crore and Rs 73.60 lakh in multiple bank accounts, respectively.
Choudhary has invested in land in Basholi and Kandi Khurd in 2022 and 2010, respectively, with the current market value estimated at Rs 1.5 crore. Similarly, his wife, also a former legislator, has invested in land at Mareen Kathua, currently valued at Rs 1 crore. The Choudhary family's property holdings are valued at Rs 4.3 crore. Lal Singh also mentioned liabilities of Rs 20 lakh in the form of bank loans, while his spouse has a liability of Rs 5 lakh—(KNO)