Income and assets of Belthangady BJP MLA come down in 5 years
The Hindu
His liability has come down from ₹1.51 crore in 2018 to ₹1.06 crore in 2023, as per his affidavit for the Karnataka Assembly elections
Belthangady MLA Harish Poonja’s income has come down from ₹15.09 lakh in 2016-17 to ₹8.38 lakh in 2021-22. His total assets were worth ₹2.61 crore in 2017-18, and they were worth ₹2.29 crore in 2022-23. His liability has come down from ₹1.51 crore in 2018 to ₹1.06 crore in 2023, as per his affidavit for the Karnataka Assembly elections.
In contrast, the income of his wife Sweekritha increased from ₹7.57 lakh in 2016-17 to ₹20.02 lakh in 2021-22. Her movable assets increased from ₹36.88 lakh in 2018 to ₹97.55 lakh in 2023. She did not have any liability in 2018, while it was declared as ₹5 lakh for the present year.
Looking at the affidavits on assets and liabilities filed by Mr. Poonja in 2018 and in 2023, there are no changes in the fixed assets that he possesses. It includes 0.55 acres of agriculture land in Belthangady taluk, which is worth ₹8.32 lakh. He has 25,000 square foot non-agriculture land in Ullal taluk worth ₹32 lakh, and 28,000 square foot non-agriculture land in Mangaluru taluk worth ₹65 lakh that is he jointly owns with his wife Sweekritha.
Of the movable assets, in 2018, Mr. Poonja had declared seven bank accounts in which balance ranged from ₹11 to ₹10,000. He now has five bank accounts with the balance ranging from ₹824 to ₹6.97 lakh. He had 27 grams of gold ornaments worth ₹74,500 in 2018, while in 2023 he has 179 grams of gold ornaments worth ₹9.89 lakh, and an iPhone worth ₹2.2 lakh.
He is a director in Pixgrammer Pre Media Private Limited, and a partner in Sweekritha Enterprises, both based in Mangaluru.
Sweekritha is an Associate Professor in A.J. Institute of Medical Sciences in Mangaluru. She had seven bank accounts with the balance ranging from ₹536 to ₹2.88 lakh in 2018. She now has three bank accounts with the balance ranging between ₹1,464 to ₹77,325. She has share capital of ₹36.58 lakh in Sweekritha Enterprises, in which she is partner. She had declared nine investments in mutual funds and insurance policies ranging from ₹4,710 to ₹1.5 lakh in 2018, while 11 investments ranging from ₹10,000 and ₹4 lakh were declared now.
The value of gold and other valuables she possessed in 2018 was ₹16.73 lakh, while jewellery in 2023, there were worth ₹33.82 lakh.
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