New Delhi, Jan 14 (NationPress) The Lokpal of India has rejected a complaint claiming the acquisition of disproportionate assets (DA) against BJP MP Nishikant Dubey, establishing that no valid case existed against either the public servant or his wife, who operates as an independent professional and is not a public servant.

In a comprehensive order, the anti-corruption authority, chaired by Justice A.M. Khanwilkar, noted that the complaint relied on a selective and partial interpretation of the election affidavits submitted by Nishikant Dubey, the respondent public servant (RPS), and lacked any credible evidence to support claims of corruption or illicit asset acquisition.

“The allegations made by the complainant are thus unfounded,” stated the Lokpal, indicating that the growth in the assets of the wife of the BJP parliamentarian was sufficiently justified through earnings from recognized sources, loans, gifts, and increases in market value over time.

The Lokpal highlighted that the complainant had outright acknowledged that the asset value held by the RPS himself had “remained stable and not significant”, with the main concern being the assets of the RPS’s wife, who “is not a public servant”.

Dismissing the claim that her asset growth was disproportionate, the Lokpal noted that she is a graduate of the National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) and has been involved in independent business ventures even before her marriage.

“She has been running an export business autonomously and engaging with international clients. She consistently files Income Tax Returns related to her independent earnings,” the order affirmed, mentioning that statutory audits have been performed and accepted by the Income Tax Department.

The Lokpal further asserted that the complainant did not present any evidence to refute the explanations provided by the RPS, and that broad claims questioning the professional income of the RPS’s wife were “fantastical and mischievous”.

Regarding the alleged disproportionate assets, the Lokpal remarked that the increase in value was mainly due to market escalation and further investments, the origins of which were clarified through declared income, loans, and gifts.

“The total receipts, including income, loans, and gifts, surpass the investments made by her from 2019 to 2024. Therefore, there is no disproportionate rise in the asset value,” the order concluded.

In the absence of any allegations or evidence of benami transactions or the attribution of unaccounted funds to the RPS, the anti-corruption body declined to initiate a “roving inquiry” into the personal and business matters of the RPS’s wife.

Recognizing merit in the claim that the proceedings were politically driven, the Lokpal stated that the complaint was filled with allegations based on incomplete affidavits and that the comprehensive election disclosures “disprove the allegations made by the complainant.”

Ultimately, the Lokpal deemed the complaint to be without merit and not genuine, thereby dismissing it and stating, “The show cause notice issued to the complainant is also discharged, allowing the RPS to pursue his grievances regarding privacy or reputation breaches through appropriate means, if advised.”

In response to the Lokpal’s ruling, BJP MP Nishikant Dubey expressed on X, “Following the false allegations made against me and my family, the Hon’ble Lokpal has issued an order today. The Hon’ble Lokpal has instructed that to protect my family’s dignity from these false accusations, I should initiate harassment proceedings against those responsible, either in court or in the Lok Sabha.”