Rajya Sabha Bypoll: Hardeep Singh Puri's Wife Wealthier Than Him, Owns Geneva Apartment, Affidavit Reveals
· Free Press Journal
Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Union Minister and BJP candidate for the Rajya Sabha bypoll in Madhya Pradesh, Hardeep Singh Puri's wife, Laxmi Puri, is wealthier than him in terms of annual income, movable assets and bank deposits, according to the affidavit filed along with his nomination papers.
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The 74-year-old leader submitted his nomination papers and the affidavit in Bhopal on Saturday for the November 12 bypoll.
According to the affidavit, Puri has movable assets worth Rs 6.54 crore and immovable assets valued at Rs 20 crore, including a residential property in Delhi's West End area. His annual income rose from Rs 63.36 lakh to Rs 75.57 lakh over the past five years.
Puri listed his pension and salary as a Union minister, rent from his Delhi property and interest on bank deposits as his sources of income.
Citing Puri's nomination, the opposition Congress has slammed the ruling BJP for "shamelessly promoting a man with links to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein". Puri has acknowledged meeting Epstein three or four times in a professional context before joining the Union Cabinet in 2017 and has denied any wrongdoing.
Laxmi Puri's Assets And Income
Laxmi Puri has movable assets worth Rs 10.66 crore and immovable assets valued at Rs 9 crore, including a house in Greater Noida valued at Rs 19.52 lakh and an apartment in Geneva, Switzerland, worth 3 million Swiss francs (about Rs 34 crore), the affidavit said.
She also holds $290,658 (about Rs 2.75 crore), according to the affidavit.
While Puri's annual income increased by around Rs 12.21 lakh over the past five years, his wife's income rose from Rs 15.39 lakh to Rs 1.69 crore during the same period, as per the affidavit.
The document lists her sources of income as pensions from the Government of India and the United Nations, rent from her Geneva property and interest on bank deposits.
Laxmi Puri, a retired Indian Foreign Service officer, has also served as a diplomat and a UN official.
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The affidavit states that the Union minister has Rs 10,000 in cash and a vehicle valued at around Rs 32 lakh. His wife has Rs 20,000 in cash and jewellery worth Rs 45 lakh.
Puri has nearly Rs 22.20 lakh in four bank accounts in Delhi, while Laxmi has around Rs 1.02 crore in two accounts in the national capital.
Both have deposits in their respective Public Provident Fund (PPF) and Senior Citizens' Savings Scheme (SCSS) accounts, amounting to Rs 20.54 lakh and Rs 30 lakh, respectively, according to the affidavit.
Neither Puri nor his wife has any outstanding loans or liabilities with banks or financial institutions. The affidavit said no criminal case is pending against the Union minister, nor has he ever been convicted in any case.
The BJP's Central Election Committee announced Puri's candidature on October 28. The Rajya Sabha seat fell vacant after Union Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs L Murugan resigned. His term was scheduled to end in April 2030.
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