U.P. Minister’s reply sought over ‘discrepancies’ in income, assets

The Uttar Pradesh MP Lokayukta sought a response from Chief Minister Somendra Tomar and his wife on the complaint filed alleging discrepancies in declared income and assets.

Petitioner Amitabh Thakur, a Lucknow-based social activist, said on Sunday: “According to the affidavits filed during the 2017 and 2022 UP Assembly elections, the total income declared by the couple during this period was around ₹72 lakh, while the total increase in their movable and immovable assets appeared to be around ₹2.13 crore. I have demanded an impartial, high-level inquiry into the matter. The UP Deputy Lokayukta sought the response of the Minister and his wife.”

Mr Thakur also called for an investigation into Mr Tomar’s tenure as chairman of Shanti Niketan Foundation and the foundation’s acquisition of land parcels measuring about 47,000 sq m. and worth ₹10.5 crore in Kayasth Mavandi village between January 2023 and April 2025.

“I have lodged a formal complaint with the UP Lokayukta against Meerut South MLA and Minister of State for Power Somendra Tomar and his wife. I informed them that their assets have increased three times compared to their income between 2017 and 2022. According to the returns filed by Somendra Tomar for the 2017 and 2022 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, his total income during the period was recorded as follows: His wife’s total income during this period was ₹ 29 lakh.” It stands at ₹ 72 lakh. In contrast, the total increase in Somendra Tomar’s movable and immovable assets during this five-year period was ₹ 1.85 crore, while the increase in his wife’s assets was ₹ 28 lakh, said Mr. Thakur, a 1992-batch Indian Police Service (IPS) officer from the Uttar Pradesh cadre — an amount that appears to be roughly three times their total income. Hindu.

Mr. Thakur also pointed out in his petition that facts regarding the acquisition of significant assets by trusts linked to Mr. Tomar (Shanti Niketan Trust, Vinayak Educational Trust, Neelkanth Educational Trust and Sai Educational Trust) in the last few years have come to light and requested an inquiry into the matter as well.