44% newly sworn-in Goa ministers have criminal cases against them: ADR

About 44 per cent of the newly sworn-in ministers in Goa have declared criminal cases against themselves, out of which three have serious charges filed against them, according to poll rights body ADR.

Goa Election Watch and the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) have analysed the self-sworn affidavits of all nine ministers, including Chief Minister Pramod Sawant.

The ADR said four (44 per cent) ministers have declared criminal cases against themselves and three (33 per cent) ministers have declared serious criminal cases against themselves.

According to the ADR report, serious criminals cases meant those offences which carry punishment of five years or more.

All the ministers are crorepatis and the average assets of these nine ministers is Rs 19.49 crore, it said.

The minister with the highest declared total assets is Atanasio Monserrate from Panaji constituency with assets worth Rs 48.48 crore. Govind Shepu Gaude from Priol constituency has the lowest declared total assets at Rs 2.67 crore.

Eight Goa ministers have declared liabilities, out of which Nilesh Cabral of Curchorem constituency has the highest liabilities at

Rs 11.97 crore.

The BJP had won the recent assembly polls in Goa and formed its government in the state.