Murder accused Shiv Lal Doda may be richest candidate

FAZILKA: Shiv Lal Doda, key accused in the December 2015 cold-blooded murder of a 25-year-old Dalit in Abohar, has filed his nomination papers as independent candidate for the February 4 polls.
He is likely to be the richest candidate with Rs 145 crore declared assets. This includes properties owned by him and his wife across Punjab, Rajasthan, Delhi and their more than a dozen bank accounts.
Liquor contractor Doda, who is lodged in Fazilka jail at present, was allowed bail for a day by the local district court to file his nomination papers.
In 2012 assembly elections, the two richest candidates were from Congress — Barnala MLA Kewal Dhillon (Rs 136 crore) and Muktsar MLA Karan Kaur Brar (Rs 128 crore). Doda was accompanied by his nephew Amit Doda, who too is facing murder charges and is lodged in the same prison, while filing the papers.
In his affidavit, he disclosed that he was convicted of excise violation in 2008 and was imprisoned for two years. His annual income is Rs 4.1 crore while that of his wife is Rs 1.23 crore. He owns a BMW, a Mercedes worth Rs 1.1 crore while his wife owns a car worth Rs 60 lakh. The couple have 1kg gold whihc is worth around Rs 32 lakh.
Doda, along with several others, were chargesheeted in August last year following a nationwide stir over the murder of dalit Bhim Tank at Doda's farmhouse. Tank's legs were chopped off and torso brutally damaged.