Madhya Pradesh High Court Slams Government for Protecting Minister in Undisclosed Assets Case

The Madhya Pradesh High Court severely criticized the state government during Thursday's hearing regarding allegations that Cabinet Minister Govind Singh Rajput concealed substantial assets in his 2023 assembly election affidavit. The court suggested the government was deliberately withholding information from the Election Commission in an apparent effort to shield the minister.

The case originated from a petition by Rajkumar Singh of Sagar district, alleging Rajput failed to disclose significant land holdings and property in his nomination papers. The petitioner provided documentation to the Election Commission, which subsequently requested land records from the state government. However, these details were never furnished, with the government reportedly impeding the investigation through ambiguous responses.

Chief Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva and Justice Vinay Saraf presided over the division bench hearing. The court noted that while the Election Commission deemed the allegations serious enough to warrant investigation, the state government deflected responsibility by claiming it was "an Election Commission matter," effectively halting the probe. The bench acknowledged that the inquiry had remained pending and scheduled the next hearing for October 9.

During proceedings, the petitioner presented registry and land records for 64 plots allegedly connected to Rajput and his family that were omitted from his election affidavit. According to court submissions, Rajput, his wife, and sons acquired approximately 40 hectares of land in Sagar district between 2019 and 2024, valued at hundreds of crores of rupees. However, his affidavit declared assets totaling only Rs 12 crore.

The court observed that the state appeared to be supporting the minister rather than assisting the Election Commission. The bench has directed the Commission to submit additional documentation and ordered the Madhya Pradesh government and the District Election Officer of Sagar to provide a status report.

The controversy is further complicated by an ongoing Income Tax Department investigation into Rajput's properties. NDTV previously reported how Rajput and his family acquired 50 acres of land gifted by his in-laws in Bhapel village, Sagar district. Notably, they benefited from Section 58(3) of the Madhya Pradesh Land Revenue Act, 1959, which permitted new registration of land at concessional rates after its classification was changed from non-irrigable to irrigable on paper. Critics contend this resulted in direct revenue losses for the state.

The land was originally purchased in 2021 by Rajput's brothers-in-law, Himachal Singh and Kartar Singh, before being transferred to Rajput, his wife Savita Singh, and son Aditya.

NDTV's earlier investigation revealed that when confronted at the assembly premises, Rajput attempted to push away the microphone and avoided answering questions.