A. Johnkumar

A. Johnkumar is an Indian businessman and Member of Legislative Assembly from Nellithope, Puducherry.

A. Johnkumar
Member Of Legislative Assembly
Puducherry
Assumed office
2 May 2021
ConstituencyKamaraj Nagar
In office
24 October 2019 – 16 February 2021
Preceded byV. Vaithilingam
ConstituencyKamaraj Nagar
In office
19 May 2016 – 15 September 2016
Preceded byOm Sakthi Sekar
Succeeded byV. Narayanasamy
ConstituencyNellithope
Personal details
Born (1965-07-05) 5 July 1965
Puducherry, India
Political partyBharatiya Janata Party
Other political
affiliations		Indian National Congress
SpouseJustine
ChildrenVivilian Richards & Villiams Regan & Victoria Rina
ParentR.S. Anthonisamy & Lourdumary
ResidenceNellithope

Political career

Johnkumar represented the Nellithope constituency of Puducherry and is a member of the Indian National Congress party. In 2016 Puducherry Legislative Assembly election, he defeated Om Sakthi Sekar of AIADMK in Nellithope by a huge margin. He was appointed the Parliamentary Secretary to the Puducherry Chief Minister. Followed by his resignation on his constituency in the legislative Assembly to enable Chief Minister V. Narayanasamy to contest a by-election before the deadline and become a member of the territorial assembly, he was appointed Special Representative of Puducherry administration in New Delhi in January 2017.[1][2]

In 2019, JohnKumar contested and won the assembly by-election from Kamaraj Nagar constituency as a Congress candidate in Puducherry by a huge margin.[3][4][5]

Joining BJP

On February 16, 2021, he left the Congress and later joined BJP.[6][7] Earlier in December 2021, Chief of Pradesh Congress Committee A.V. Subramanian said that A. John Kumar was trying to switch sides to BJP due to the “fear of getting raided by the Income Tax Department.”[8]

Supporters of John Kumar, representing Kamaraj Nagar constituency, staged a protest and sat in dharna in June 2021 in front of the BJP office demanding a ministerial seat for him in the AINRC-led NDA government.[9] The BJP members pulled down the flex erected and tore the banners in the BJP office.[10]

Income tax raids

Income tax officials found nearly ₹1.6 crore during a search of A. John Kumar's house at Nellithope in September 2016 just two days after he vacated his constituency for Chief Minister V. Narayanasamy to contest a by-election.[11] At a press meet John Kumar said that as he had sold a piece of land a few days ago, he did not have any documents with him. The officials asked me to submit the documents to get the money back”. He had paid income tax accordingly and there was no tax evasion.[12]

The Income Tax Office in Chennai conducted a search on November 2016 at the residence of A. John Kumar. I-T-T personnel reached his residence at Savaripadayachi Street in the Nellithope constituency around 7 a.m. and searched the house till around 4 p.m. Terming the move politically motivated, John Kumar told mediapersons “The raid was meant to disrupt the campaign of the Chief Minister."[13] John Kumar disclosed the IT dept. seized Rs.14 lakh.[14]

A chargesheet was filed against A. John Kumar in a local court by Assistant Public Prosecutor for alleged suppression of information terming the move politically motivated, Mr. John Kumar told mediapersons. “The raid was meant to disrupt the campaign of the Chief Minister. I was asked not to leave the house”,[15] on about his property in his affidavit when he contested the 2019 by-election from Kamaraj Nagar constituency and later won it. An FIR was registered earlier on the directions of Chief Judicial Magistrate in 2020 a complaint which alleged that John Kumar had not shown a property of more than two hectare land he purchased at Thirukkanur in his affidavit in 2019. This is because no FIR was filed by the police station on the same complaint in 2019.[16][17]

References
  1. "John Kumar makes way for Narayanasamy". The Hindu. 16 September 2016. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 19 September 2019.
  2. "John Kumar quits post to pave way for CM". The Times Of India. 15 September 2016.
  3. "Congress Wins Kamraj Nagar Seat". NDTV. 24 October 2019.
  4. "Congress's Johnkumar wins from Kamaraj Nagar". The Week. 24 October 2019.
  5. "Congress candidate wins Kamaraj Nagar assembly byelection". The Times Of India. 24 October 2019.
  6. "Puducherry Assembly Speaker resigns".
  7. "BJP nominee John Kumar urges voters to ensure NDA government is formed in Pondy for integrated development". www.outlookindia.com/. Retrieved 21 June 2021.
  8. "John Kumar fearing Income Tax raid, says PCC chief". The Hindu. 12 December 2020. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 21 June 2021.
  9. "Puducherry BJP MLA John Kumar's supporters stage protest". The Hindu. 19 June 2021. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 21 June 2021.
  10. "Case registered against supporters of John Kumar MLA".
  11. Staff Reporter (19 September 2016). "I-T sleuths seize Rs. 1.6 cr. from house of Congress leader". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 21 June 2021.
  12. "Ex-MLA in Rs 1.6 crore tax soup". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 21 June 2021.
  13. "I-T officials search house of ex-MLA, seize money". The Hindu. 18 November 2016. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 21 June 2021.
  14. "Hours before campaign deadline, I-T launches surprise raid on Pondi CM Narayanasamy's campaign manag - The New Indian Express". www.newindianexpress.com. Retrieved 21 June 2021.
  15. "I-T officials search house of ex-MLA, seize money". The Hindu. 18 November 2016. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 21 June 2021.
  16. "Chargesheet against Puducherry BJP candidate over alleged suppression of info on property".
  17. "FIR against Pondy MLA for filing false affidavit". dtNext.in. 5 January 2020. Archived from the original on 11 May 2021. Retrieved 11 May 2021.
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