4 DMK MLAs face kidnap charges, reveals ADR report

This has come to light in a recently released report of the Association of Democratic Reforms (ADR), a non-profit organisation working on election and democratic reforms. 

The report was shared by former chief election commissioner of India SY Quraishi, who on Monday took to Twitter to draw public attention to the alleged shady credentials of some of the country’s elected representatives.

In its report, the ADR had analysed MPs/MLAs with declared criminal charges Related to Kidnapping. The principal opposition party in the State is placed joint fourth on the nation-wide list alongside Odisha’s BJD. 

The report took in to account sections 359 to 369 of the Indian Penal Code, all related to kidnapping. The ruling BJP topped the chart with 16 of its 64 MPs/MLAs facing kidnapping charges.

The four DMK MLAs mentioned in the report were A Soundarapandian (Lalgudi), KN Nehru (Tiruchy West), KPP Samy (Tiruvottiyur) and Karthik (Singanallur). The analysis was done based on the declaration made by the candidates in their affidavit prior to the 2016 Assembly election. 

Former minister Nehru, who is also one of the district secretaries of the DMK, was facing 11 cases under 19 serious sections of the IPC, including attempt to murder, cheating and even one related to theft.

His party colleague KPP Samy faces charges related to murder (section 302) and an attempt to murder. 

The nationwide study which scrutinised the affidavits of over 4,850 elected representatives, including 770 MPs showed that six percent (64) of them were facing charges of kidnapping.