Hardeep Singh Puri's wife owns more assets than him, affidavit reveals

New Delhi: Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri's wife owns more assets than him, according to the financial details disclosed in the affidavit filed by the BJP leader along with his nomination for the Madhya Pradesh Rajya Sabha by-election. The affidavit reveals that his wife owns an apartment in Geneva, Switzerland, worth around Rs 34 crore, in addition to other assets.

Puri, 74, who has been at the centre of several controversies in the Union Cabinet, filed his nomination papers and affidavit on Saturday for the by-election scheduled for November 12. The Congress had criticised the BJP for defending Puri over his alleged links with American sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

According to the affidavit, Puri owns movable assets worth Rs 6.54 crore, including a house in Delhi's West End area, and immovable assets valued at Rs 20 crore. His annual income increased from Rs 63.36 lakh to Rs 75.57 lakh over the past five years. His sources of income include his salary and pension as a Union Minister, rental income from his property in Delhi and interest from bank deposits.

Meanwhile, his wife, Lakshmi Puri, has movable assets worth Rs 10.66 crore and immovable assets valued at Rs 9 crore. These include a house in Greater Noida worth Rs 19.52 lakh and an apartment in Geneva, Switzerland, valued at 3 million Swiss francs (approximately Rs 34 crore). She also has investments worth $290,658 (around Rs 2.75 crore).

While Puri's annual income rose by around Rs 12.21 lakh over the past five years, his wife's income increased from Rs 15.39 lakh to Rs 1.69 crore during the same period.

Her sources of income include pensions from the Government of India and the United Nations, rental income from her property in Geneva and interest from bank deposits. Lakshmi Puri is a retired Indian Foreign Service officer who has served as a diplomat and a UN official.

The affidavit also states that Puri has Rs 10,000 in cash and owns a vehicle worth around Rs 32 lakh. His wife has Rs 20,000 in cash and gold jewellery valued at Rs 45 lakh.

Puri has around Rs 22.20 lakh across four bank accounts in Delhi, while Lakshmi holds approximately Rs 1.02 crore across two accounts in the national capital. Their Public Provident Fund (PPF) and Senior Citizens' Savings Scheme (SCSS) accounts hold deposits of Rs 20.54 lakh and Rs 30 lakh, respectively.

Neither Puri nor his wife has any outstanding loans or liabilities from banks or financial institutions. The affidavit also states that no criminal cases are pending against the Union Minister and that he has not been convicted in any case.

The BJP's Central Election Committee announced Puri's candidature on October 28. The Rajya Sabha seat fell vacant following the resignation of Union Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs L Murugan. His term was originally scheduled to end in April 2030.